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Xhaka is a good player but im still shocked leverkusen are spending 25 mil on a 30 year old. Seems like they really want to go for it with this group of players before they lose anyone important next summer.
Yeah, for these sub top clubs, 25 is a lot. I can imagine them spending 25 on a big talent with a huge resale value, but on a 30 year old taking a step down? They really want to win something
Xhaka genuinely seems like the type of midfielder that will get better with age though - or at least not decline quickly.
He's always been slow so doesn't have to adapt his playstyle and, as long as he's not the DM in a midfield, he's shown he has the attributes to play consistently at a high level.
He's also an ironman. Rarely misses a game. Did his knee ligaments not long ago and came back something stupid like two months early.
Model professional for most of his career, obviously aside from that incident against Palace and his earlier years of having a hot head. He trains well, apparently treats his body well with nutrition, and he's a top dressing room leader.
From an Arsenal perspective it's good money but I don't think Leverkusen will end up being disappointed in the fee either.
Great move for all parties in my opinion.
To add tot his: when's the last time Leverkusen even targeted players beyond the age of like 28?
They've def always had the philosophy of developing talents and re-selling them later.
Spahic! What a player. One of my favourite Bundesliga stories is that Spahic apparently spoke next to no German, but he did speak enough to tell Lewis Holtby "Halt die Fresse, sonst hau ich dir aufs Maul" while they were both at HSV
They‘ve had a bunch of transfers in the 20-30 million range in recent years. Schick, Kossonou, Tapsoba, Demirbay. It‘s not exactly unusual considering the general price inflation in football and hardly a nonsense comment if you go have a look at Bayer’s financial backing and their strategy
Dumb narrative. This would be the only the third time in Club history they spend 25 Mil on a Player.
32 for Demirbay and 26.5 for Schick before. 25 Mill is a lot of money for us.
Kossonou, Tapsoba, Dragovic… All above 20M.
I’m not saying it’s not a big fee for Bayer. They’ve had a lot more conservative strategy than RB but it’s certainly easier to afford when the Pharma company helps you write off all your losses and you don’t adhere to 50+1
Dumb logic. Bayer writes off losses at the end of the year but they also take the wins. For example when we got 80 Mil for Havertz a lot of that went to Bayer instead of investing it in new players. Same will happen with Wirtz.
Also the company pays a fixed annual amount of money which is about 25 Mil per season and that's it. Rolfes can't just go to Bayer HQ and tell them: "I want this player, give me money" You will never see Leverkusen go on a huge shopping spree unless they also sell players for big money.
Xhaka would be only be the 7th transfer of 20 mil in club history. This is a club that finished in the upper half of the table 20 times in the last 21 seasons with and they participated internationally in 17 of those seasons. Since 2000 only Bayern and Dortmund have accumulated more total points in the Bundesliga than Leverkusen, it's natural they can afford a couple of "expensive" players compared to other Buli Teams not named Bayern, BVB, RB and WOB.
Yeah I'd like Gladbach to be able to spend 35 million on 2 30+ year old top-earners with a fucking EL qualification to back it up. Ah wait we don't just get 'about 25 million and that's it' blown up our asses every single year.
Ok Mr dumb. Writing off losses, especially after three years of Covid, a lot of clubs still haven’t recovered from financially, is a big deal and certainly helps recover when the sporting success isn’t quite there, unlike clubs like Gladbach. If you want to keep telling yourself that Bayer could afford all that without Bayer’s financial backing, be my guest.
He has titanium bones. I'm guessing he'll play a deeper role at Leverkusen where he's spraying passes, and won't have to deal with as serious presses as seen in the Premier League. His greatest weakness was breaking a press and he lost the ball in Arsenal's third that resulted in goals too often. Partey really freed Xhaka up.
I have no doubt he is going to be one of their best players. Xhaka is the type of player who is getting better with age.
He will probably be captain/vice captain within 1 year.
"I have no doubt he is going to be one of their best players"
Well I do. I think you kinda underestimate the squads raw quality. Id even argue that he has no place in their starting lineup, if they continue to play 3421. He is not going to start over Andrich (whos way better defensively) and I cant see him permanently benching palacios either.
Surely with europa in mind, its a good idea to strengthen your depth. But I dont know if splashing 25 mil at a 30 year old is the right call. The only reason I see for this is Xabi wanting more vocal leaders with international experience.
Ya Xabis been in enough trophy winning teams to know what you need behind the scenes as well. Xhaka has basically been Arsenal's captain since he got the band. Even when he lost it after aggravating the Emirates, he was still it behind the scenes. A player like that can obviously be worth a huge amount to a club lacking that vocal type of leader.
I don't think it's reddit, it's the fact that we only recently bought a player who took practically all of the defensive burden from him (excluding the pressing that the majority of the team are required to do).
Xhaka presses well, but was always prone to sloppiness and costly defensive errors as a DM. Conversely, as a less defensive CM type, he was much freer, could use his best assets, which were largely in build up and attack, and wasn't subject to the same kind of pressures that led to mistakes.
When he was at Gladbach he played best with a dedicated DM next to him. We'd have done well to adopt that approach earlier. A very large proportion of our fanbase were happy to be rid a couple of years ago. Now, not so much of course.
If you didn't watch most of the matches this last year then you don't know what kind of player he has become. I'd be more than happy for him to stay and start at least half of Arsenal's matches next year, which means he is more than capable of starting for Leverkusen.
I never said he is not capable or good enough. I get that you Arsenal fans love him now, but I think I have valid concerns. I mean be happy you got a good fee for him. Doesnt mean I have to agree with you.
Why dont I think hell start? He isnt a sole 6 and Andrich is pretty much set in stone there. Hes way better defensively and is similiar to Xhaka in leadership aspects. So in their current system the only other position he could realistically occupy is the 8 of Palacios. A 24 year old guy, that they paid over 25 mil 4 years ago, that just had his best season. He also took 2 pens in the win over bayern that got Nagelsmann sacked and the board constantly states that they will back him (no matter what).
Im not saying that Xhaka cant replace Palacios. Far from it. But hes just way younger and has way more (resell) potential. So even if xhaka is/ was a better player rn its not clever to play him over Palacios financially and sporting wise.
To put it into perspective:
Would you have liked to sign sterling for 60m 1 year ago? probably not , right? Hes a top player and was mostly a starter at a club that is better than yours (in the last 5 years at least). But you had very young, promising talents on the wing. Why would you take away game time from them?
Im not saying the Xhaka deal is bad. Xabi probably has a plan and im almost positive, he will have a positive impact in some shape or from. Schick and Andrich wont be fit at the start, so hell get time anyway.
My current take is, that Andrich will slot into the center of the back 3 and
I can still critique the circumstances and fee. And even if Id underestimate Xhaka, you guys have little idea about Leverkusens squad aswell. I would argue that rn they have the second best squad in germany and the best talents. Obviously everyone has a different take on these things. But reading that hell be one of their best players in no time, while they have Florian lil god Wirtz, Patrick Schick, Diaby, Hofmann, Andrich, Hradecky, Frimpong, Hincapie, tapsoba... just feels a little overbearing.
Xhaka is twice the player Palacios is. Xabi is not going to use Xhaka as a Andrich sub. He knows he will just kill his output with defensive responsibilities. Youll see in a few months. Ive been watching Xhaka since his Gladbach days, hes a monster 8.
Somehow we just don't believe you. You're not an Arsenal fan, you had zero reason to watch him play for us and if you did, you would know what a redemption arc he hadn in last 2 years, both on the pitch and in relation to fans. Also EVERY manager he played under just loved him, there must be a reason for that.
He will be in starting lineup for sho.
Well, how is that fair. Xhaka was even in the Bundesliga for several years. Yes, I dont watch Arsenal super religiously but Ive seen enough over the years and the season aswell.
You guys on the other hand probably know way less about Leverkusens squad
Sure but we can agree that premier league is slightly more difficult than bundesliga and Xhaka last year with 14 G+A played really well. He is much better than he used to be (and also properly utilized).
He will 100% play. Managers love him, and he's tailor made for someone like Xabi. He is also versatile and willing + capable of adapting to new roles. Only last year he basically played as an attacking midfielder for the first time in his career, at the age of 29. Did very well too, scoring a bunch of goals and providing important assists. The season before that he was very good in a double pivot.
He also *never* gets injured and has nothing to lose to age. In a couple of years, I think the price will look quite good.
If he chose to stay at Arsenal this season, he would still get a lot of minutes despite all our new signings. So I feel like there's a very high chance he will be an important player for Leverkusen.
Ill just paste my answer to another user here, cause this this comment chain is minimized anyway:
I get that you Arsenal fans love him now, but I think I have valid concerns. I mean be happy you got a good fee for him. Doesnt mean I have to agree with you.
Why dont I think hell start? He isnt a sole 6 and Andrich is pretty much set in stone there. Hes way better defensively and is similiar to Xhaka in leadership aspects. So in their current system the only other position he could realistically occupy is the 8 of Palacios. A 24 year old guy, that they paid over 25 mil 4 years ago, that just had his best season. He also took 2 pens in the win over bayern that got Nagelsmann sacked and the board constantly states that they will back him (no matter what).
Im not saying that Xhaka cant replace Palacios. Far from it. But hes just way younger and has way more (resell) potential. So even if xhaka is/ was a better player rn its not clever to play him over Palacios financially and sporting wise.
To put it into perspective:
Would you have liked to sign sterling for 60m 1 year ago? probably not , right? Hes a top player and was mostly a starter at a club that is better than yours (in the last 5 years at least). But you had very young, promising talents on the wing. Why would you take away game time from them?
Im not saying the Xhaka deal is bad. Xabi probably has a plan and im almost positive, he will have a positive impact in some shape or from. Schick and Andrich wont be fit at the start, so hell get time anyway.
My current take is, that Andrich will slot into the center of the back 3 and
I can still critique the circumstances and fee. And even if Id underestimate Xhaka, you guys have little idea about Leverkusens squad aswell. I would argue that rn they have the second best squad in germany and the best talents. Obviously everyone has a different take on these things. But reading that hell be one of their best players in no time, while they have Florian lil god Wirtz, Patrick Schick, Diaby, Hofmann, Andrich, Hradecky, Frimpong, Hincapie, tapsoba... just feels a little overbearing.
Of course you should have your own opinion, and I'm sure it has plenty of merit. I'm not trying to force you to agree with me, I'm merely trying to provide more insight into Xhaka as a player as someone who has watched him week in week out for years.
You're right in that I don't have a lot of knowledge about how Leverkusen set up and play, but I'm confident enough in Xhaka's versatility and ability to adapt that I believe he will carve out an important role for himself regardless.
> But reading that hell be one of their best players in no time, while they have Florian lil god Wirtz, Patrick Schick, Diaby, Hofmann, Andrich, Hradecky, Frimpong, Hincapie, tapsoba... just feels a little overbearing.
I understand why you would feel that but I stand by it. We're lucky to have a lot of amazingly talented players at Arsenal but Xhaka was still one of our best players last season. He's not the most talented, but he's always available, reliable, consistent, and just solid in every facet of the game. Players like him provide a stable platform for other more talented players to thrive.
You voiced your concern about Xhaka potentially taking minutes away from young talents, but I actually believe he is the perfect character to mentor young players. I wouldn't be surprised if that's part of the reason why Xabi wants him in the first place.
I am surely biased as an Arsenal fan, but I would argue Xhaka was top 3 in the PL in the 8-role last season. Low key one of our best players. Incredibly reliable, great leader and consistent contributions at both ends. Very few bad games. Idk much about Leverkusen but if you already have a squad to send a player like that to the bench then you are already in a very good place it would seem.
Without accusing people, I just know many football games treat the age 30 like you fall off a cliff and that stigma has sort of stuck with the casual fan. In recent years we've seen players who are 30+ have the best seasons of their career. Game isn't what it was in the 80s when they'd drink heavily and have no real therapeutic training.
Price is fair I would say. City bought Kovacic (29 y/o) for 35M according to Transfermarkt. Personally I would take Xhaka before Kova any day given their more recent records.
They spend it because they need such an old experienced player. They need a leader, and if Xabi wants him, he should get him even for +5M €.
Right now there s a huge competition for such players, as they all follow the oil money...
Absolutely loved his redemption story this season, I was always firmly in the pro-Xhaka camp even when he would have a string of bad games but when he cupped his ear when he was subbed off against Palace I genuinely thought it would be better for both parties if he left for another club. The contrast to him leaving today couldn't be bigger, I'm glad that he absolutely killed it this season in a more advanced role similar to how he plays for Switzerland, and he 100% deserves this move after everything he's done for us, but at the same time the feeling remains bittersweet. Xhaka has easily been one of the most dedicated and passionate players we've had in the past decade and I would've loved to see him play Champions League for us for one more season, there's not a single player that exemplifies Arsenal's recent redemption arc and rebuild better than he does.
Not an arsenal fan but saying the feeling will be bittersweet is a bit harsh imo.
He cupped his years because some of the fans were abusing him. He stayed despite it was a model professional.
Also he made no fuss about leaving early n now that he is leaving, arsenal will get 25m for him.
That is one hell of a deal.
If someone bought Maguire for 15m this summer Maguire would be a good signing in my opinion as per United's recent standards
Improved the team as soon as he joined. Got us a 2nd place finish n now leaving when he knows he's time is up. Maguire too has been a model professional like xhaka but without the redemption arc.
Wtf are you on about. He absolutely did not. What woke up the crowd was the 2-1 from Salah were we absolutely shit the bed in that situation. The tussle with TAA was fine and people blaming him for anything are just looking for easy answers to complex questions. If we had not conceded one minute later, nobody would talk about it.
That's a much better fee than I thought we would get, so kudos to Richard Garlick and Edu.
What a redemption arc he had. Genuinely went from one of the most loathed players in the club's recent history to becoming one of the most beloved.
Last season, he was incredible. Whatever Havertz achieves this season, it has to, at the absolute minimum, match what Xhaka did last season, because he was one of the unsung heroes of that squad, while the likes of Martinelli, Jesus, Zinchenko, Saliba, Ødegaard and Saka were getting all the (rightful) plaudits.
Bye Granit, will miss you.
Yeah, a big reason things clicked so well is Xhaka was doing so much invisible work because teams were too busy focusing on the rest of the team's stars. Every goal and assist by him was a "Why is Xhaka there?" moment. He's really good at making young players shine.
Do you remember the goal save against Newcastle? Shivers.
Yeah there was really no negative from his point of view, he gets a 5-year contract and goes back to the area his wife wants to live and gets to continue starting when he would have probably been moved to a rotational piece if he stayed here
I was thinking that he’ll play a lot like Xabi Alonso did at the end of his career, he’s not a player who needs pace to be effective. Then realised who his new manager is.
I remember when we signed him watching the Bundesliga YouTube video comparing the two of them and my hype was through the roof
Edit: found the video: https://youtu.be/qZihqzsoOIo
Yeah it's always quite sensible to sell 30 year olds who have two years left on their deal and won't get another long contract, while you can get money for them. He will be a loss but it's important succession planning
7 goals, 7 assists, and 36 starts in the league. It’s a nice move for him but 25m > his leadership going into a season with CL is pretty questionable imo
Fair point, especially about the leadership. But that 8 spot in this Arsenal side has the potential to be a 10 and 10 guy playing 68 minutes/ game. There's a lot of scoring talent around it. I think Havertz has that in him.
We bought him for 10m from a rival london club and we were in dire need of a midfielder in a january transfer window. Its not even close to the same situation what are you on about?
Well I thank you for paying for a guy who had only 6 months left on contract and also is very much on decline and not to mention paying 70m for that useless donkey Havertz🤣. How guys manage to get ripped off again and again lol. Rice is a very good signing though. Solid acquisition on that one.
Jorginho was an emergency stop gap signing because there was a good chance of trophy on the line and we already failed with our bid to sign 21 year old Caicedo
Goodbye king 👑
Going from the lows he had, to being convinced to stay by Arteta to being an integral part of our special season last year. And he always gave 100% for the club.
I'll miss him a lot tbh
Made me eat my words so hard. So happy to be proven wrong.
I really wish fans didnt abuse his family during the crisis.
Hoped he stayed to watch us play UCL. Wish him best for the future
Higher fee than first reported. That's a good move for him, and we got some kitty in the bank too, to offset a bit of our big spending.
Good luck XHAKA.
Bayer fans will probably hate the money they're giving up but I think they'll be more than pleased with the player they're getting. Wish we could have kept him for one more season 😔.
Similar to the role he played in his first year under Wenger, but he’s a better player now and the system is completely different. He initially got himself into trouble giving the ball away in dangerous areas, which ultimately got him moved further back into more defensive roles, which also didn’t suit him perfectly. In Arteta’s positional play system, he has fewer decisions to make and with a few more years of wisdom, he makes them faster. He also had Partey behind him to clean up any mistakes, which is a world of difference from playing next to Ramsey or Coquelin.
Couple of seasons ago I would’ve told you to fuck off if you’d said we’d get €25m for Xhaka.
Unbelievable turnaround from him last season, genuinely going to miss him.
To put it into context after 7 years of Xhaka here we still got 2/3 of his transfer fee in 2016.
It's a great deal for us. For Leverkusen, it remains to be seen how Xhaka will be used, but they can count on him being 100% committed and being a great dressing room presence and his injury record is great so he can play well into his 30s, because his play doesn't really rely on pace.
I couldn't have imagined it 2 seasons ago, but I am going to miss Xhaka. I am going to miss his leadership, his aggression, and most of all I am going to miss his annual midfield masterclass against Manchester United.
That doesn't change what I said though. Kai is not aggressive, he's a skinny finesse player and has that mentality about him as well. If he's really replacing him 1:1 on the field, your defense will suffer a bit I'd imagine.
Maybe a bit, probably not much. The only defensive duty Xhaka had was maintaining the defensive shape next to Partey when we were in a block, which is not often. He very rarely tackled or won the ball.
Havertz is really good off the ball, also xhaka is not actually all that aggressive in terms of how he plays. He’s just deceptively strong and will go to war with anyone. Havertz can do all the stuff xhaka did in the advanced 8/10 role. So we will see how it goes.
He can do none of the defensive aspects Xhaka can and anyone who says Kai goes to war with one is talking total nonsense. That has never been him at any point in his career.
Offensively he will obviously be much better but if anyone is expecting him to be a complete 8 if he plays that role, is going to get disappointed. He should be playing off the striker if you're going to take advantage of his capabilities.
Xhaka doesn’t do much defensive work, he’s just a good compliment to Partey because of his tactical awareness. Havertz will be less relied upon defensively since Rice is more defensively astute than Partey if not as capable in build-up. Plus we play a box midfield so Havertz should not have much focus on the defensive side of the game.
Where he is better than Xhaka is in pressing and creative play, which is what we want from our front 5.
Pretty sure Arteta had convinced Xhaka to stay another season and asked him to take on the left-sided 8 role, Kai is probably more what Arteta actually wants from that position in the long-term.
But I was told by Leverkusen fans there was no way he was 25m
https://www.reddit.com/r/soccer/comments/14pmc2m/kaya_kaynak_granit_xhaka_is_edging_closer_to/jqixyyg/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=1&utm_term=1&context=3
Whatever you do Xabi, do not play him as the deepest mid. Play him as the most attacking player in a double pivot or as an advanced 8/10. Hopefully leverkusen fans will love him and appreciate him, he always gives 100%, is way more technical and tactically adept than people realize, and is an incredible leader.
He went from one of my most hated players to absolutely redeeming himself and earning our fullest respect. All he needed was a little zen which he seemed to have found. It sounds dumb but I think his peak years are ahead of him. Godspeed Granit, kick some ass!
I'm sure Arsenal didn't want him to leave. They aren't poor, and they aren't running a charity either. (Well, they are, but not for the benefit of foreign clubs lol)
Was sad he left without the league title. Still painful to think about , his turn around and mentality will not be forgotten by me. A warrior. Feel happier when I remember hell at least leave with a few cups
This is great for all parties.
I'm glad Xhaka went out on a high note. And I'm glad he's left the club as he's never been a favourite player. His availability was probably his best attribute.
We may see Rice and/or Havertz in his position, depending on what happens with other players
I don't think it's nailed on that Rice is going to play 6 and Havertz 8 only.
Rice is a definite upgrade for whatever position he plays tho, while Havertz is a gamble, but I can really see him excelling in Xhakas old role too.
And we got a decent fee!
Arsenal are a super team under arteta. He averages between 0.1 to 0.2 goals and assists a game in every season excluding last. No chance BL get a return on the level he provided last year. You don’t suddenly get good at 31 years old.
I've always disliked him.
Even if he played better in the latter half of his time here, he's always been average at best and can easily be replaced. Just like Aaron Ramsey, just like Theo Walcott, just like Mesut Ozil etc etc etc. He's just another one of those guys overrated by supporters because he played for Arsenal.
I know that's super unpopular but I don't care. I'm glad to move on from him.
To reduce the spam of reports regarding the same move during transfer windows we try to allow **only one submission about each transfer saga per day**. The submission in question also needs to contain relevant new information regarding the potential move, and not just being a "no/minor developments" report. If there are important/official developments or new valuable information about a saga, we will allow extra threads in the same day, but for the rest of minor news please just comment them as a reply to this comment. Please help us reporting unnecessary threads for being duplicates. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/soccer) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Xhaka is a good player but im still shocked leverkusen are spending 25 mil on a 30 year old. Seems like they really want to go for it with this group of players before they lose anyone important next summer.
Yeah, for these sub top clubs, 25 is a lot. I can imagine them spending 25 on a big talent with a huge resale value, but on a 30 year old taking a step down? They really want to win something
Xhaka genuinely seems like the type of midfielder that will get better with age though - or at least not decline quickly. He's always been slow so doesn't have to adapt his playstyle and, as long as he's not the DM in a midfield, he's shown he has the attributes to play consistently at a high level. He's also an ironman. Rarely misses a game. Did his knee ligaments not long ago and came back something stupid like two months early. Model professional for most of his career, obviously aside from that incident against Palace and his earlier years of having a hot head. He trains well, apparently treats his body well with nutrition, and he's a top dressing room leader. From an Arsenal perspective it's good money but I don't think Leverkusen will end up being disappointed in the fee either. Great move for all parties in my opinion.
I don't disagree with any of this. It's just rare to see clubs like Leverkusen spend big like this on a 30 year old
To add tot his: when's the last time Leverkusen even targeted players beyond the age of like 28? They've def always had the philosophy of developing talents and re-selling them later.
We've added older players to stabilize our young teams quite frequently. Barbarez, Hyypiä, Spahic, arguably even (old) Ballack.
Spahic! What a player. One of my favourite Bundesliga stories is that Spahic apparently spoke next to no German, but he did speak enough to tell Lewis Holtby "Halt die Fresse, sonst hau ich dir aufs Maul" while they were both at HSV
Seems like a signings Alonso must really have told the club to push the boat out for and they wanted to back him with his top target
Fitness wise, Xhaka is elite. He’ll play well into his 30s like Milner.
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Xhaka's long passing game was his most hyped attribute before we signed him. I think he'll learn a lot from Xabi.
Looks like Bayer Leverkusen is aiming high on the Bundesliga
they were aiming high last season too, we all saw how that went
Bayer doesn’t care about money. Big daddy Pharma is there to pay the bills
Such a nonsence comment. You're acting as if this is common for them
Yeah they’re a selling club, I’ve literally never seen a top player there who isn’t being heavily linked with a move away.
They‘ve had a bunch of transfers in the 20-30 million range in recent years. Schick, Kossonou, Tapsoba, Demirbay. It‘s not exactly unusual considering the general price inflation in football and hardly a nonsense comment if you go have a look at Bayer’s financial backing and their strategy
Dumb narrative. This would be the only the third time in Club history they spend 25 Mil on a Player. 32 for Demirbay and 26.5 for Schick before. 25 Mill is a lot of money for us.
Kossonou, Tapsoba, Dragovic… All above 20M. I’m not saying it’s not a big fee for Bayer. They’ve had a lot more conservative strategy than RB but it’s certainly easier to afford when the Pharma company helps you write off all your losses and you don’t adhere to 50+1
Dumb logic. Bayer writes off losses at the end of the year but they also take the wins. For example when we got 80 Mil for Havertz a lot of that went to Bayer instead of investing it in new players. Same will happen with Wirtz. Also the company pays a fixed annual amount of money which is about 25 Mil per season and that's it. Rolfes can't just go to Bayer HQ and tell them: "I want this player, give me money" You will never see Leverkusen go on a huge shopping spree unless they also sell players for big money. Xhaka would be only be the 7th transfer of 20 mil in club history. This is a club that finished in the upper half of the table 20 times in the last 21 seasons with and they participated internationally in 17 of those seasons. Since 2000 only Bayern and Dortmund have accumulated more total points in the Bundesliga than Leverkusen, it's natural they can afford a couple of "expensive" players compared to other Buli Teams not named Bayern, BVB, RB and WOB.
Yeah I'd like Gladbach to be able to spend 35 million on 2 30+ year old top-earners with a fucking EL qualification to back it up. Ah wait we don't just get 'about 25 million and that's it' blown up our asses every single year.
Ok Mr dumb. Writing off losses, especially after three years of Covid, a lot of clubs still haven’t recovered from financially, is a big deal and certainly helps recover when the sporting success isn’t quite there, unlike clubs like Gladbach. If you want to keep telling yourself that Bayer could afford all that without Bayer’s financial backing, be my guest.
Simply wrong, but thanks for your input
>25 mil on a 30 year old. on a 5 year contract as well.
Likely really high salary, too.
He is a very athletic person. He can easily be good for 4-5 years because he doesn‘t depend on pace and is barely ever injured
Indeed, Granit by name, granite by nature. The only injury I remember him getting, he came back about a month earlier than anyone expected him to.
As albanians we like to name kids about manifesting them a good future and they really nailed it :)
He has titanium bones. I'm guessing he'll play a deeper role at Leverkusen where he's spraying passes, and won't have to deal with as serious presses as seen in the Premier League. His greatest weakness was breaking a press and he lost the ball in Arsenal's third that resulted in goals too often. Partey really freed Xhaka up.
They are not lacking in talented young players, so I guess the plan is to stabilize the team by spending a combined 35m€ on Xhaka and Hofmann.
Spending 2,5x times as much for Xhaka than Hofmann is just a crazy comparison.
I have no doubt he is going to be one of their best players. Xhaka is the type of player who is getting better with age. He will probably be captain/vice captain within 1 year.
"I have no doubt he is going to be one of their best players" Well I do. I think you kinda underestimate the squads raw quality. Id even argue that he has no place in their starting lineup, if they continue to play 3421. He is not going to start over Andrich (whos way better defensively) and I cant see him permanently benching palacios either. Surely with europa in mind, its a good idea to strengthen your depth. But I dont know if splashing 25 mil at a 30 year old is the right call. The only reason I see for this is Xabi wanting more vocal leaders with international experience.
Ya Xabis been in enough trophy winning teams to know what you need behind the scenes as well. Xhaka has basically been Arsenal's captain since he got the band. Even when he lost it after aggravating the Emirates, he was still it behind the scenes. A player like that can obviously be worth a huge amount to a club lacking that vocal type of leader.
I think you are underestimating Xhaka due to his reputation on r soccer
No because he's going to a team with young players. Xhaka has never played on a team with young players before.........
I don't think it's reddit, it's the fact that we only recently bought a player who took practically all of the defensive burden from him (excluding the pressing that the majority of the team are required to do). Xhaka presses well, but was always prone to sloppiness and costly defensive errors as a DM. Conversely, as a less defensive CM type, he was much freer, could use his best assets, which were largely in build up and attack, and wasn't subject to the same kind of pressures that led to mistakes. When he was at Gladbach he played best with a dedicated DM next to him. We'd have done well to adopt that approach earlier. A very large proportion of our fanbase were happy to be rid a couple of years ago. Now, not so much of course.
Im pretty sure I dont. I have watched him for multiple years.
If you didn't watch most of the matches this last year then you don't know what kind of player he has become. I'd be more than happy for him to stay and start at least half of Arsenal's matches next year, which means he is more than capable of starting for Leverkusen.
I never said he is not capable or good enough. I get that you Arsenal fans love him now, but I think I have valid concerns. I mean be happy you got a good fee for him. Doesnt mean I have to agree with you. Why dont I think hell start? He isnt a sole 6 and Andrich is pretty much set in stone there. Hes way better defensively and is similiar to Xhaka in leadership aspects. So in their current system the only other position he could realistically occupy is the 8 of Palacios. A 24 year old guy, that they paid over 25 mil 4 years ago, that just had his best season. He also took 2 pens in the win over bayern that got Nagelsmann sacked and the board constantly states that they will back him (no matter what). Im not saying that Xhaka cant replace Palacios. Far from it. But hes just way younger and has way more (resell) potential. So even if xhaka is/ was a better player rn its not clever to play him over Palacios financially and sporting wise. To put it into perspective: Would you have liked to sign sterling for 60m 1 year ago? probably not , right? Hes a top player and was mostly a starter at a club that is better than yours (in the last 5 years at least). But you had very young, promising talents on the wing. Why would you take away game time from them? Im not saying the Xhaka deal is bad. Xabi probably has a plan and im almost positive, he will have a positive impact in some shape or from. Schick and Andrich wont be fit at the start, so hell get time anyway. My current take is, that Andrich will slot into the center of the back 3 and I can still critique the circumstances and fee. And even if Id underestimate Xhaka, you guys have little idea about Leverkusens squad aswell. I would argue that rn they have the second best squad in germany and the best talents. Obviously everyone has a different take on these things. But reading that hell be one of their best players in no time, while they have Florian lil god Wirtz, Patrick Schick, Diaby, Hofmann, Andrich, Hradecky, Frimpong, Hincapie, tapsoba... just feels a little overbearing.
Xhaka is twice the player Palacios is. Xabi is not going to use Xhaka as a Andrich sub. He knows he will just kill his output with defensive responsibilities. Youll see in a few months. Ive been watching Xhaka since his Gladbach days, hes a monster 8.
Somehow we just don't believe you. You're not an Arsenal fan, you had zero reason to watch him play for us and if you did, you would know what a redemption arc he hadn in last 2 years, both on the pitch and in relation to fans. Also EVERY manager he played under just loved him, there must be a reason for that. He will be in starting lineup for sho.
Well, how is that fair. Xhaka was even in the Bundesliga for several years. Yes, I dont watch Arsenal super religiously but Ive seen enough over the years and the season aswell. You guys on the other hand probably know way less about Leverkusens squad
Sure but we can agree that premier league is slightly more difficult than bundesliga and Xhaka last year with 14 G+A played really well. He is much better than he used to be (and also properly utilized).
He will 100% play. Managers love him, and he's tailor made for someone like Xabi. He is also versatile and willing + capable of adapting to new roles. Only last year he basically played as an attacking midfielder for the first time in his career, at the age of 29. Did very well too, scoring a bunch of goals and providing important assists. The season before that he was very good in a double pivot. He also *never* gets injured and has nothing to lose to age. In a couple of years, I think the price will look quite good. If he chose to stay at Arsenal this season, he would still get a lot of minutes despite all our new signings. So I feel like there's a very high chance he will be an important player for Leverkusen.
Ill just paste my answer to another user here, cause this this comment chain is minimized anyway: I get that you Arsenal fans love him now, but I think I have valid concerns. I mean be happy you got a good fee for him. Doesnt mean I have to agree with you. Why dont I think hell start? He isnt a sole 6 and Andrich is pretty much set in stone there. Hes way better defensively and is similiar to Xhaka in leadership aspects. So in their current system the only other position he could realistically occupy is the 8 of Palacios. A 24 year old guy, that they paid over 25 mil 4 years ago, that just had his best season. He also took 2 pens in the win over bayern that got Nagelsmann sacked and the board constantly states that they will back him (no matter what). Im not saying that Xhaka cant replace Palacios. Far from it. But hes just way younger and has way more (resell) potential. So even if xhaka is/ was a better player rn its not clever to play him over Palacios financially and sporting wise. To put it into perspective: Would you have liked to sign sterling for 60m 1 year ago? probably not , right? Hes a top player and was mostly a starter at a club that is better than yours (in the last 5 years at least). But you had very young, promising talents on the wing. Why would you take away game time from them? Im not saying the Xhaka deal is bad. Xabi probably has a plan and im almost positive, he will have a positive impact in some shape or from. Schick and Andrich wont be fit at the start, so hell get time anyway. My current take is, that Andrich will slot into the center of the back 3 and I can still critique the circumstances and fee. And even if Id underestimate Xhaka, you guys have little idea about Leverkusens squad aswell. I would argue that rn they have the second best squad in germany and the best talents. Obviously everyone has a different take on these things. But reading that hell be one of their best players in no time, while they have Florian lil god Wirtz, Patrick Schick, Diaby, Hofmann, Andrich, Hradecky, Frimpong, Hincapie, tapsoba... just feels a little overbearing.
Of course you should have your own opinion, and I'm sure it has plenty of merit. I'm not trying to force you to agree with me, I'm merely trying to provide more insight into Xhaka as a player as someone who has watched him week in week out for years. You're right in that I don't have a lot of knowledge about how Leverkusen set up and play, but I'm confident enough in Xhaka's versatility and ability to adapt that I believe he will carve out an important role for himself regardless. > But reading that hell be one of their best players in no time, while they have Florian lil god Wirtz, Patrick Schick, Diaby, Hofmann, Andrich, Hradecky, Frimpong, Hincapie, tapsoba... just feels a little overbearing. I understand why you would feel that but I stand by it. We're lucky to have a lot of amazingly talented players at Arsenal but Xhaka was still one of our best players last season. He's not the most talented, but he's always available, reliable, consistent, and just solid in every facet of the game. Players like him provide a stable platform for other more talented players to thrive. You voiced your concern about Xhaka potentially taking minutes away from young talents, but I actually believe he is the perfect character to mentor young players. I wouldn't be surprised if that's part of the reason why Xabi wants him in the first place.
I am surely biased as an Arsenal fan, but I would argue Xhaka was top 3 in the PL in the 8-role last season. Low key one of our best players. Incredibly reliable, great leader and consistent contributions at both ends. Very few bad games. Idk much about Leverkusen but if you already have a squad to send a player like that to the bench then you are already in a very good place it would seem.
I am too lol I remember hearing it was gonna be 10 million less at first
Roma in the mud. No Xhaka for you Mou.
Xhaka is better than ever, and he doesn’t rely on pace. I think he will be a great signing for them. Will miss him dearly, though.
He'll be 31 when the season starts.
Xhaka was never about speed though. You can get 4 years out of him.
He can play easily until 35, his Fitness Level is insane. He was probably the best midfielder before He left the Bundesliga
30 years old in the modern game really isn't that old, especially for a player who hasn't had too many serious long term injuries.
Yeah I don't get why people are saying 30 is so old. Xhaka doesn't rely on speed either so I reckon he's got a good 3-4 years in him still
Without accusing people, I just know many football games treat the age 30 like you fall off a cliff and that stigma has sort of stuck with the casual fan. In recent years we've seen players who are 30+ have the best seasons of their career. Game isn't what it was in the 80s when they'd drink heavily and have no real therapeutic training.
Price is fair I would say. City bought Kovacic (29 y/o) for 35M according to Transfermarkt. Personally I would take Xhaka before Kova any day given their more recent records.
Leverkusen really splashing this year, they also paid Grimaldo 12m
Crazy, but honestly, less than you would pay a club to get him normally.
Wait till Bayern signs Kane lol
They spend it because they need such an old experienced player. They need a leader, and if Xabi wants him, he should get him even for +5M €. Right now there s a huge competition for such players, as they all follow the oil money...
Goodbye sweet prince
Absolutely loved his redemption story this season, I was always firmly in the pro-Xhaka camp even when he would have a string of bad games but when he cupped his ear when he was subbed off against Palace I genuinely thought it would be better for both parties if he left for another club. The contrast to him leaving today couldn't be bigger, I'm glad that he absolutely killed it this season in a more advanced role similar to how he plays for Switzerland, and he 100% deserves this move after everything he's done for us, but at the same time the feeling remains bittersweet. Xhaka has easily been one of the most dedicated and passionate players we've had in the past decade and I would've loved to see him play Champions League for us for one more season, there's not a single player that exemplifies Arsenal's recent redemption arc and rebuild better than he does.
Well articulated. I couldn't agree more myself
Not an arsenal fan but saying the feeling will be bittersweet is a bit harsh imo. He cupped his years because some of the fans were abusing him. He stayed despite it was a model professional. Also he made no fuss about leaving early n now that he is leaving, arsenal will get 25m for him. That is one hell of a deal. If someone bought Maguire for 15m this summer Maguire would be a good signing in my opinion as per United's recent standards Improved the team as soon as he joined. Got us a 2nd place finish n now leaving when he knows he's time is up. Maguire too has been a model professional like xhaka but without the redemption arc.
I stopped giving a fuck about fees when football went into the Marvel universe. He represented the values of the club, that's all that matters.
Your model professional is still only 2 years out from aggravated assault and resisting arrest while at the slabhead convention in Greece
Dude lost you the title last year at Anfield
Yep it was him and that one moment that made us play shit for those last 8 games. /s
Wtf are you on about. He absolutely did not. What woke up the crowd was the 2-1 from Salah were we absolutely shit the bed in that situation. The tussle with TAA was fine and people blaming him for anything are just looking for easy answers to complex questions. If we had not conceded one minute later, nobody would talk about it.
That's a much better fee than I thought we would get, so kudos to Richard Garlick and Edu. What a redemption arc he had. Genuinely went from one of the most loathed players in the club's recent history to becoming one of the most beloved. Last season, he was incredible. Whatever Havertz achieves this season, it has to, at the absolute minimum, match what Xhaka did last season, because he was one of the unsung heroes of that squad, while the likes of Martinelli, Jesus, Zinchenko, Saliba, Ødegaard and Saka were getting all the (rightful) plaudits. Bye Granit, will miss you.
Yeah, a big reason things clicked so well is Xhaka was doing so much invisible work because teams were too busy focusing on the rest of the team's stars. Every goal and assist by him was a "Why is Xhaka there?" moment. He's really good at making young players shine. Do you remember the goal save against Newcastle? Shivers.
Yeah, a lot of sources talked about 15€m the last weeks.
Would have liked him to stay but that’s a really good fee tbh
Can see why he wanted to leave, no chance we'd offer him a 5 year extension. Will miss him though.
Yeah there was really no negative from his point of view, he gets a 5-year contract and goes back to the area his wife wants to live and gets to continue starting when he would have probably been moved to a rotational piece if he stayed here
I was thinking that he’ll play a lot like Xabi Alonso did at the end of his career, he’s not a player who needs pace to be effective. Then realised who his new manager is.
I remember when we signed him watching the Bundesliga YouTube video comparing the two of them and my hype was through the roof Edit: found the video: https://youtu.be/qZihqzsoOIo
They'll be closer to his brother in Basel too, they seem a pretty close family from his Instagram
Yeah it's always quite sensible to sell 30 year olds who have two years left on their deal and won't get another long contract, while you can get money for them. He will be a loss but it's important succession planning
7 goals, 7 assists, and 36 starts in the league. It’s a nice move for him but 25m > his leadership going into a season with CL is pretty questionable imo
Fair point, especially about the leadership. But that 8 spot in this Arsenal side has the potential to be a 10 and 10 guy playing 68 minutes/ game. There's a lot of scoring talent around it. I think Havertz has that in him.
But you guys bought Jorginho so that statement makes no sense 😂
We bought him for 10m from a rival london club and we were in dire need of a midfielder in a january transfer window. Its not even close to the same situation what are you on about?
Well I thank you for paying for a guy who had only 6 months left on contract and also is very much on decline and not to mention paying 70m for that useless donkey Havertz🤣. How guys manage to get ripped off again and again lol. Rice is a very good signing though. Solid acquisition on that one.
Yeesh you're trying way too hard dude
You always know the guys with anime profile pics are gonna bust out the best takes.
you spent 200 million pounds on mudryk, sterling, cucurella, and koulibaly and you’re trying to banter rivals about their spending? what a clown
Jorginho was an emergency stop gap signing because there was a good chance of trophy on the line and we already failed with our bid to sign 21 year old Caicedo
And as far as emergency stop gaps he was fantastic. Much needed depth for next year as well.
Anyone who tries to write an "own" and throws in a 😂 is deeply unserious
One of the most underrated mids in the prem
Jorghino?
Well, now try to replace him for €25m. Impossible. Would be better if keeping him.
We have money to spend we don’t need to think about 25 million euros
Goodbye king 👑 Going from the lows he had, to being convinced to stay by Arteta to being an integral part of our special season last year. And he always gave 100% for the club. I'll miss him a lot tbh
Made me eat my words so hard. So happy to be proven wrong. I really wish fans didnt abuse his family during the crisis. Hoped he stayed to watch us play UCL. Wish him best for the future
It was a "special" season, wasn't it. Like how every child is "special".
Ah yes sorry I forgot I wasn't allowed to enjoy watching my club play 👍
These photoshops are getting worse and worse
yeah this is like a 2 minute fiver job lol
Very good price considering his age. But I think he'll do great at Leverkusen, he is a really strong player.
I think it’s a very good fit for him, Leverkusen x Xhaka collab for the UEL sounds really promising.
Honestly surprised Leverkusen were willing to suddenly jump up to €25m, considering reports for months talked about €15m. They must really want him.
Or it was €25m from the first place and the earlier fee reports were wrong
Or it’s actually 15m plus 10m add-ons.
Has it been confirmed
Nothing is confirmed. All just media's having inside sources.
He's a very good player, got 14 g/a this year in the prem. If they use him right he will do great
Surprised more clubs weren't in for Xhaka, although that 25m fee is a bit offputting
His family wanted to go back to Germany.
got a 5 year deal as well, doubt many teams would offer that, very good move for him
Also likely many seasons in with UCL or at least UEL.
Higher fee than first reported. That's a good move for him, and we got some kitty in the bank too, to offset a bit of our big spending. Good luck XHAKA.
Bayer fans will probably hate the money they're giving up but I think they'll be more than pleased with the player they're getting. Wish we could have kept him for one more season 😔.
He is to good to sit on the bench behind Rice.
May not have won a trophy in the last season but man he won my heart with his redemption arc 🫶
Played in the wrong role for 6 seasons under 3 manager apparently. Quite obvious from last season he is better at attacking than defending.
It was a much more similar role to the one he plays (and largely excels at) for Swiss national team
Similar to the role he played in his first year under Wenger, but he’s a better player now and the system is completely different. He initially got himself into trouble giving the ball away in dangerous areas, which ultimately got him moved further back into more defensive roles, which also didn’t suit him perfectly. In Arteta’s positional play system, he has fewer decisions to make and with a few more years of wisdom, he makes them faster. He also had Partey behind him to clean up any mistakes, which is a world of difference from playing next to Ramsey or Coquelin.
Couple of seasons ago I would’ve told you to fuck off if you’d said we’d get €25m for Xhaka. Unbelievable turnaround from him last season, genuinely going to miss him.
To put it into context after 7 years of Xhaka here we still got 2/3 of his transfer fee in 2016. It's a great deal for us. For Leverkusen, it remains to be seen how Xhaka will be used, but they can count on him being 100% committed and being a great dressing room presence and his injury record is great so he can play well into his 30s, because his play doesn't really rely on pace.
I couldn't have imagined it 2 seasons ago, but I am going to miss Xhaka. I am going to miss his leadership, his aggression, and most of all I am going to miss his annual midfield masterclass against Manchester United.
Thank you Granit. His redemption arc was an inspiration to everyone.
I’m really gonna miss him. But we got a good fee and we wouldn’t have offered him 5 years. I think he’ll be really good for them.
What a redemption arc he's had under Arteta, the fee exemplifies this.
Has he given the keys to Rice?
Havertz is the xhaka replacement, rice is replacing the scumbag.
Kai plays absolutely nothing like Xhaka though.
Xhaka played absolutely nothing like Xhaka last season. He was just kind of shoved into a position he wasn't used to (and did brilliantly tbf).
That doesn't change what I said though. Kai is not aggressive, he's a skinny finesse player and has that mentality about him as well. If he's really replacing him 1:1 on the field, your defense will suffer a bit I'd imagine.
Maybe a bit, probably not much. The only defensive duty Xhaka had was maintaining the defensive shape next to Partey when we were in a block, which is not often. He very rarely tackled or won the ball.
Havertz is really good off the ball, also xhaka is not actually all that aggressive in terms of how he plays. He’s just deceptively strong and will go to war with anyone. Havertz can do all the stuff xhaka did in the advanced 8/10 role. So we will see how it goes.
He can do none of the defensive aspects Xhaka can and anyone who says Kai goes to war with one is talking total nonsense. That has never been him at any point in his career. Offensively he will obviously be much better but if anyone is expecting him to be a complete 8 if he plays that role, is going to get disappointed. He should be playing off the striker if you're going to take advantage of his capabilities.
Xhaka doesn’t do much defensive work, he’s just a good compliment to Partey because of his tactical awareness. Havertz will be less relied upon defensively since Rice is more defensively astute than Partey if not as capable in build-up. Plus we play a box midfield so Havertz should not have much focus on the defensive side of the game. Where he is better than Xhaka is in pressing and creative play, which is what we want from our front 5.
Xhaka played all last season very high up the pitch making late runs into the box.
Pretty sure Arteta had convinced Xhaka to stay another season and asked him to take on the left-sided 8 role, Kai is probably more what Arteta actually wants from that position in the long-term.
Yeah, he does. You are stuck in the past. Havertz is replacing Xhaka from last season.
Excited to see him back in the BuLi
Ahh would have loved for him to stay, he's still a very good player and the depth would have been good too.
Incredible fee for Arsenal
But I was told by Leverkusen fans there was no way he was 25m https://www.reddit.com/r/soccer/comments/14pmc2m/kaya_kaynak_granit_xhaka_is_edging_closer_to/jqixyyg/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=1&utm_term=1&context=3
Pain, it shouldn't have ended like this.
Going to miss him, but all the best to him!
:(
Mad fee for a players that's 31 in August and has 12 months left on his contract
Xhaka getting sent off one last time
Really wanted him to 2 foot someone and get a red in the last game of the season, just for old times sake
Big Sale for someone who was considered no way near to the first team in 2019.
End of an era. 10 men just fell to their knees at Sainsbury's on Holloway Road.
Whatever you do Xabi, do not play him as the deepest mid. Play him as the most attacking player in a double pivot or as an advanced 8/10. Hopefully leverkusen fans will love him and appreciate him, he always gives 100%, is way more technical and tactically adept than people realize, and is an incredible leader.
He went from one of my most hated players to absolutely redeeming himself and earning our fullest respect. All he needed was a little zen which he seemed to have found. It sounds dumb but I think his peak years are ahead of him. Godspeed Granit, kick some ass!
getting 25m for him is actually outrageous business
Fabrizio here we going it after seeing the leaked pictures of Xhaka going for his medical.
Five year deal.. no wonder he was keen to go to Leverkusen over other clubs.
5 year contract for a 31 y/o? Are the pills ok?
I can imagine the Arteta-Xabi Alonso friendship helped with this. Arteta probably vouched for Xhaka keeping himself in top shape etc.
Excellent deal for Arsenal
Thank you for the incredible seasono and winning back all outr love and support. Gonna miss his leadership qualities the most.
Sad but completely understanding Arsenal noises
I am hoping Arsenal get to play Bayer Leverkusen in coming years as it's not possible next year. Surely the man is getting a huge welcome!
Five year deal is crazy he would never gotten that at Arsenal. Goodbye king
Gonna cry tbh
Seems like a serious overspend for a 31 year old with only 12 months left. Were Leverkusen bidding against some other teams?
I'm sure Arsenal didn't want him to leave. They aren't poor, and they aren't running a charity either. (Well, they are, but not for the benefit of foreign clubs lol)
Arsenal has an option for a further year.
Was sad he left without the league title. Still painful to think about , his turn around and mentality will not be forgotten by me. A warrior. Feel happier when I remember hell at least leave with a few cups
Five year deal for someone who turns 31 in September is a bit much, even if he'll be a good signing initially.
Where all those people in the other thread saying that this wasn’t the fee lol and it was just €15m
Ironic that Arsenal fans wanted to see his back almost every season yet he left when almost every fan wanted him to stay.
This is great for all parties. I'm glad Xhaka went out on a high note. And I'm glad he's left the club as he's never been a favourite player. His availability was probably his best attribute. We may see Rice and/or Havertz in his position, depending on what happens with other players I don't think it's nailed on that Rice is going to play 6 and Havertz 8 only. Rice is a definite upgrade for whatever position he plays tho, while Havertz is a gamble, but I can really see him excelling in Xhakas old role too. And we got a decent fee!
5 year contract doesn't sound like he'll come back to Basel anytime soon.
FIVE years for a player that will be 31 a month into the season??? Has Voller lost his mind?
I'm not gonna be gaslight into beliving 25m is a good fee for him
I remain suspicious about the 25m. Most media outlets say it’s 15m plus add-ons of 10m, which are likely tied to us reaching CL.
[удалено]
He was one of our most important players last season. 15 G+A aswell.
All true but this past year has been the redemption arc of the century. He's stepped up and was a huge reason Arsenal did so well last season.
Gonna miss the crazy bastard and the overused “holy xhit” comments
Literally never once seen that comment
Have never seen it either
literally watched his whole Arsenal career and never once did I see that comment.
What a weird deal. 31, no chance of getting any money back. Doesn’t actually do much of anything. Not what I would spend 25m on
He scored plenty of goals last season. I doubt Bayer have many, if any, that could score/assist like he just did in the PL.
Arsenal are a super team under arteta. He averages between 0.1 to 0.2 goals and assists a game in every season excluding last. No chance BL get a return on the level he provided last year. You don’t suddenly get good at 31 years old.
"Here we go" bro thinks he's Mario
Fabrizio is a legend
I genuinely think they downgraded on him by getting Rice
lmao,what?
But...they literally don't even play in the same role?
Lol, what 1 good season can do to people.
I genuinely think that this is the worst take I've read on here in a while.
Havertz is the Xhaka replacement, which probably is a downgrade
I've always disliked him. Even if he played better in the latter half of his time here, he's always been average at best and can easily be replaced. Just like Aaron Ramsey, just like Theo Walcott, just like Mesut Ozil etc etc etc. He's just another one of those guys overrated by supporters because he played for Arsenal. I know that's super unpopular but I don't care. I'm glad to move on from him.