Arsenal Transfer News: Latest Players, Elite Stars Targeted in Gunners Rumours

Arsenal transfer target Granit Xhaka has said that he wants his future decided sooner rather than later amid rumours linking him with a switch to the Emirates Stadium.

The Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder will reportedly command a fee in the region of £33 million, and his stock will almost certainly rise after the UEFA European Championship in France over the summer.

But Xhaka wants domestic football to be the last thing on his mind while donning the Switzerland shirt, saying he hopes any potential deal will be sewn up quickly, per Colin Harvey of the Daily Star:

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I would be happy if everything is resolved before the European Championship.

It will be better for me if I go into such a big tournament with no worries in my mind. And for that, it would be good if I know where I will play next season.

I owe a lot to Borussia and had so many good years. If I have to leave, I would say a proper goodbye.

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PATRIK STOLLARZ/Getty Images

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger needs to act fast to give the 23-year-old what he wants or run the risk of letting another high-profile transfer target slip through his fingers.

Beside, Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich are also said to be chasing Xhaka, with German newspaper Express reporting that the champions will activate a release clause in the midfielder’s contract at the end of next season (via Anthony Chapman of the Sun).

Chapman wrote that Xhaka would act as a replacement for Xabi Alonso at the Allianz Arena, and while the Spaniard’s are big boots to fill, he certainly has the talent to do exactly that.

The midfielder has been instrumental behind Monchengladbach’s success in 2015/16, with his range of passing, tackling tenacity and positional brilliance winning worldwide plaudits. Here’s a reminder of what the Swiss star can do:

Although Monchengladbach sporting director Max Eberl denied reports Arsenal had made a bid for their midfielder when speaking with Kicker (h/t Sky Sports), you get the sense Wenger will be forced to put his hand in his pocket very soon.

If he does, the Gunners would be gaining one of the most exciting midfielders in the world. And if not, Arsenal fans would once again lament what could have been.

A new striker is top of the supporters’ wishlist, however, and it seems Wenger will finally give the people what they want when the transfer window reopens.

Former defender Martin Keown is a part-time scout at the Emirates, and he told Reuters that landing a new frontman will be one of the Frenchman’s top priorities (via David Wright of the Daily Express):

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What Wenger will do in the summer is he will re-balance, take time out to consider and he will then decide what changes are necessary if he wants to do that.

There was lots of talk of a centre forward coming to the club and that did not happen. I would assume that that would be an area of priority.

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And it seems Wenger will be aiming high in his pursuit, as James Benge of the London Evening Standard revealed that Gonzalo Higuain, Alvaro Morata and Mauro Icardi are just three of the players scouts have been watching.

Although the magic of Leicester City’s Premier League title triumph isn’t lost on many, it’s clear Arsenal missed a huge chance to scoop English football’s top prize this season.

With so many big teams floundering, the gate was open for the Gunners to plough to the top of the table and for Wenger to silence his critics. As it transpired, the Foxes showed Arsenal how it’s done.

A few high-profile signings could give the Gunners the consistency needed to finally lift the Premier League trophy again, and if Wenger wants to keep his job, next season’s title could be the only way.