Contract agreed: Arsenal star accepts five-year deal with near €20m exit to be completed imminently

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Arsenal are on the brink of completing the sale of Granit Xhaka to Roma, with Chris Wheatley of Football.London reporting that the Gunners will net a fee of between €18m-20m for the midfielder.

Wheatley, the chief Arsenal reporter for Football.London, adds that Xhaka has already agreed a five-year contract with the Serie A side and that the deal will be made official ‘very soon’.

Xhaka was recruited by the Gunners in the summer of 2016, just before the Euros started, with the North London outfit shelling out £35m for the Swiss star, per BBC Sport.

Arsenal are of course making a considerable loss on the central midfielder now, but considering the intense criticism of Xhaka during his spell at the Emirates they’ve done really well to get around €20m.

Mikel Arteta will be hoping that the club’s controversial hierarchy will allow him to fully invest the funds from the imminent Xhaka sale towards a new midfield partner for Thomas Partey.

See More: Arsenal ‘very likely’ to sign talented 25-year-old this summer per reporter, in move that could see longtime starter replaced in the lineup

Jose Mourinho clearly rates Xhaka very highly as he’s about to make him his first signing at Roma, with the Portuguese just taking charge of the Italian outfit quite soon after his sacking from Spurs.

Whilst Xhaka has largely failed to live up to expectations and been the subject of fierce criticism over the years, the midfielder has maintained a key role for Arsenal for almost all of his time at the club.

Xhaka’s only real spell out of the team came as a result of the shock outburst that saw him stripped of the captaincy, after the Switzerland international swore at the team’s own fans.

Given the key role that Xhaka has played, Arteta ideally needs to recruit someone that is ready to step in as an instant starter, the Gunners need to build some rhythm in midfield as soon as possible.

Xhaka certainly has what it takes to strengthen a Roma side that finished 7th last season, the 28-year-old has the chance to reestablish himself as a quality player away from the pressure at Arsenal.

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