Arsenal Transfer News: Latest Rumours, Elite Players Targeted by Gunners

Reported Arsenal target Granit Xhaka has sought to stem the swell of speculation linking him with a move to the club, insisting no negotiations have been staged to discuss a future transfer.

According to John Cross of the Daily Mirror, the Gunners have scouted the Borussia Monchengladbach man a whopping 30 times already this season, with the club keen to make a marquee midfield capture at the end of the campaign.

It’s also been reported the player’s father met with manager Arsene Wenger in London, per Bild (h/t Sport Witness).

But the player himself has dismissed those suggestions in an interview with German publication Express (h/t James Whaling of the Daily Mirror):

"

I’ve seen the rumours. All I can say is it’s nonsense. There have been no negotiations with Arsene Wenger. Nothing has been agreed.

If someone claims to have seen my father negotiating in London, they should show me the photo! No one from London has been here to negotiate.

If someone claims otherwise, give me a call! I invite you to dinner. You can write that down for all I care!

"

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While the player doesn’t seem to be quite as close to a move to the Gunners as some reports have suggested, he’d be a perfect signing for Wenger.

Here is a look at why the 23-year-old is rated as one of the best emerging midfielders in European football:

Arsenal tend to overcomplicate their efforts in midfield at times, with so many intricate ball players in the setup. Xhaka is a player who is superb through simplicity, and that’d be a huge asset to the Gunners.

As a left-sided player, he’d immediately add balance to the team, while there are no standout weaknesses in his game. The Switzerland international can win the ball back, carry it into dangerous areas and then make an impression in the final third, whether via a sharp pass or a rasping long shot.

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As these numbers from WhoScored.com illustrate, Xhaka is a player who loves to commit opponents, too:

With Jack Wilshere perennially injured, Arsenal have missed a footballer who has these attributes. But what Xhaka brings that would make him an upgrade on the England man is a defensive awareness and tenacity, which does need to be tamed at times, to win possession back.

If Arsenal can get him to the Emirates Stadium, the Borussia man would make a massive difference.

Arsenal Confident of Alexis Sanchez, Mesut Ozil Renewals

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As reported by Cross, Wenger is confident of convincing both Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil to extend their contracts, with each having two years to run come the end of the campaign.

“Yes, I am confident,” he said, per the aforementioned source. “Yes, they have a two-year contract left and there's been nothing done yet. They look happy, when I talk to them they are happy and they want to extend their contracts so I don't think it is a problem.”

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Both players have been linked with possible moves away from the club this term. Spanish outlet Fichajes (h/t Mark Brus of Metro) claimed Real Madrid were looking at Sanchez as a possible replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo, while Luis F. Rojo reported in Marca that Barcelona had been in touch with Ozil’s agent over a potential move.

Both players are key cogs in the Arsenal attacking lineup. Sanchez may not have hit the heights of last season, but he’s a player who brings so many qualities to the team when at full tilt. Ozil, by contrast, is enjoying his best campaign for the club and is a massive influence in the final third, per Squawka Football:

If the Londoners are to build a team this summer that’ll be more capable of challenging for the top honours it’s not only imperative they add to the squad, but ensure their main assets are secure.

Arsenal supporters will be desperate to see both of these players tied down to new deals soon. While two years seems like a long spell, should the negotiations drag on beyond this season and into next, concerns will be mounting over the future of each player. Given just how important they both are to the club, that’s a distraction the Gunners could do without.