Newcastle were reportedly linked with a very ambitious move for Granit Xhaka, in light of his recent struggles, but the Swiss international has pledged to fight for his Arsenal future.
Xhaka spoke to Swiss newspaper Blick about the “hurtful and frustrating” events at the Emirates, when he reacted to being booed by his own fans as he was substituted.
On his future plans, he said: “I’ll continue to stay positive, give my all to an even greater extent and prove that I’m an important part of this great team [Arsenal].
“You can be sure that I’ll keep fighting and putting myself out there in every training session. I feel that last week has been dealt with and I’m ready.”
So publicly Xhaka is insisting his future remains at Arsenal, but other reports claim he is looking for an escape route, with AC Milan being linked with a move.
Either way, it seems Newcastle’s alleged bold attempt to lure Fabian Schar’s international colleague to Tyneside looks destined to be fruitless.
Could Newcastle even afford to sign Xhaka?
How genuine the rumoured interest was, is not known, and it always sounded like an unlikely move, especially given the wages Xhaka is likely to be on at the Gunners.
Even if Newcastle were hoping for a loan deal, they would still be expected to pick up a big part – if not all – of the midfielder’s salary, which would likely be more than Newcastle’s wage structure currently allows.
There are other, cheaper options, should Bruce feel he needs to have another midfielder on board, especially as Ki Sung Yueng does not look like an option, and Matty Longstaff still finding his way at senior level.
As much as the thought of signing a player of Xhaka’s stature would be an exciting prospect for Newcastle fans, it may be a few more years of consistent seasons away from relegation scraps before those rumours become reality.
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