We’re not sure of the origin of these pictures, but it seems that Granit Xhaka’s Arsenal photos have leaked on the net.
The Swiss international is set to sign for the Gunners in a £25m deal, and he’ll be the first arrival of what many hope will be a busy summer.
You see in this Tweet there are some pics from behind the scenes:
https://twitter.com/DasAngreifer/status/733980472045375488
It also gives us a nice glimpse of next year’s home kit, with resplendent red socks and all.
An official announcement on the signing is expected today. #welcomexhaka #yeswekhan
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha. Still laughing at Spurs and at all the people who said Wenger wouldn’t get stuff done early.
#WelcomeXhaka
Welcome Xhaka… Now a CB and STR pls.
Also lets remember last season Cech arrived early too, only for Wenger to go to sleep.
Get a CB to partner with Kos, and STR too.
The disharmony amongst fans has surely given the club a bit of wake up call. The manager is going nowhere so they know that signings are the only thing that will take the fans minds off it for a while. The one thing I do wonder is if we were not loosing 3 midfielders, how quickly would we be making changes?
There’s no pleasing you eh? Pissed if we do, pissed if we don’t. You don’t like the manager? that’s fine; please stop the stupid attempts at rational argument.
It seems to me that there’s a few folks around who are so desperate to believe that their personal actions can make a difference in the world that they claim their whingeing on the internet (and for a few of them, their whingeing at Ashburton Grove) have forced Arsene Wenger to go out early and sign a player. Yet it is these same people who have been tryling to convince us that Arsene Wenger has been ineffective as Arsenal boss and essentially makes no useful impact on our little part of the world. There’s probably a long name for whatever… Read more »
Or… we couldn’t get the players in that we targeted until the last min.
Would you rather we wait until the next season add it the fund and get who we want or get a Park Chu-Young, Benayoun or a Squillaci just for the sake of spending.
Benayoun was pretty good while he was with us. He gave it a good go. I’ll agree with your sentiment on Squillaci as we got him as his powers were beginning to wane (well into?). I can’t say I agree with any criticism of Park Chu-Young as he played OK on the one or two occasions he got a start so it remains a mystery why we had him but barely used him. I’m still hoping Wenger answers that one in his memoirs.
Well said. He should buy players that will bring value and quality to the team and not buying for buying seek or buying players who are rejects from their clubs. He is fond of doing that. Honestly, I do not have any believe in the team until Wenger goes. Mark my word, we will still be saying the same thing this time next year. Wenger is the reason the team is not performing as they should and not really the team itself.
Buddy, we lost 3 midfielders who barely played for us last season. We need like one squad player to replace their combined contribution. Xhaka is a big shake-up to the starting XI.
I (respectfully) don’t entirely agree with you. Rosicky and Arteta didn’t get to play much but they were squad members, after all, and they still brought something to the team… even when if it was only the potential benefits we would gain if they got onto the pitch (Rosicky’s dynamism, injection of oomph as a sub, and blistering shot, or Arteta’s calming leadership, vast experience, impressive niceness, and super-impressive lego hair – much of which worked off the pitch as well as on it). Xhaka certainly seems to have a lot of dynamism (though not in the attacking mode of… Read more »
It was the end of June when Cech arrived. It’s the end of May now. You have got to give them credit where it is due. They’ve signed someone so early, even before the window opens. This could only mean they’ve signed their preferred target, which is a good start. Nothing more, nothing less.
Great addition! Welcome Granit!
Now just Mahrez-Walcott swap, Lukaku and one of vin Dijk/Laporte/Wanyama (and yes, Wanyama can play CB, incredibly well at that) and we can put the missed opportunity of 2015/16 behind us with a PL title.
Yeah, if only Leicester, Man City, Sp*rshit, Manure, Southampton, West Ham, Liverpool and a few other PL (and dosens of European) teams weren’t thinking pretty much the same thing then we’d be able to buy exactly the right players we need and really easily too (Because all players want to play for Arsenal rather than stay where they are or join a different team, don’t they?). In reality I suspect that we have just signed the only player who really wanted to be at Arsenal at any cost, and now all the rest of the potential movers this season will… Read more »
Well said.
Finally a rock in midfield!
Next to ‘the Pitbull’… 🙂
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/20151106/ozil-why-we-call-francis-the-pitbull-
Noooo, don’t call him that. He might start trying to bite players like That C**t Swarez.
Really impressed with how quickly we have moved this early in the window.
Very keenly waiting to see who our striker targets are.
Me too. Hoping this signing isn’t just for the season ticket renewals. For all the people that say Lukaku has poor technical ability, he still has ended up with a lot of goals this season. He’s still young too, and if Giroud can improve a decent bit with his finishing with feet, Lukaku shouldn’t find it too hard at his age to improve his touch among other things. I will say that anything over 45-48 million for him would be too much. Wonder why we’re not going after Lacazette. Any French league viewers here? Would love to know how good… Read more »
Lacazzette might be a little different from Giroud but would be a downgrade especially when we’ve got welbeck on the books. Loads of names will be floated around, don’t get caught up in the hype
Same thing was said when we were interested in aubamayeng…look where he is now. Lacazette would be a great signing if we can’t get the big guns.
I really like Welbeck, but he isn’t half the finisher Lacazette is. His movement off the ball isn’t on the same level either.
Exactly. He’s a superb finisher.
Welbeck is out until Feb, which means April in Arsenal speak, which is basically all of next season. We need to plan like he’s not part of the squad.
Then he can give us a boost in knock out phase of the cHampton league when he returns.
Lafayette would be a downgrade on Giroud? Come on, I like Giroud but that’s absurd.
Call me a sceptic but I’m of the opinion that Lafayette would be a major downgrade on Giroud. I mean, the man’s a decent finisher and has excellent marksmanship, but he’s been dead for over 200 years.
We need strikers with different abilities, yes. But of paramount importance is the ability to breathe.
Nothing against Lafayette though. One just needs to see the highlights of the Revolutionary War to see what he’s capable of. Wonder if there’s a YouTube compilation somewhere.
Lukaku, Chelsea reject, Ozil assists Lukaku finishes!
I could live with that
I think we will get our business done early. The pound will plummet if people vote for Brexit next month. We stand to get more for our money in Europe before then so AW maybe hedging his bets in the transfer market this summer.
Pretty sure Arsene thumbed you up right there.
No pun intended.
Great point.
It already went down against the euro and I really dont think a brexit will happen (famous last words!)
Always easier if a player actually wants to join you rather than any other team.
Quick heads up to all interested in future midfield options, Zelalem started the Scottish cup final this afternoon. Half time now. Say what you will about Rangers he’s played some high pressure games.
Wow. Granit AND red socks!! Great start to the summer so far
I don’t think we can underestimate the power of red socks. Seriously. Solid red for the first time since 2004-05 I think. White socks are for clubs like Chelski and Spuds.
strangely I actually Prefer white socks with our jerseys they look much better
There’s a reason why teams wearing red are more likely to win games than teams wearing other colours. It’s the same thing that makes the majority of men who buy a sports car go for a red one, or Warhammer 40K orks believe that red wuns go fasta. In terms of boosting our testosterone-fed manly will to win, and emasculating those players in other colours when they see our magnificent redness, you must never underestimate the power of red socks. Heck, even the red stripe down the shorts will help. Red socks will give us the edge against the lower… Read more »
Early and expensive. Borussia M’Gladbach paid 6m for him and transfermarkt currently values him at 18m. Still, since he seems to have two characteristics currently in short supply at Arsenal – he’s nasty and gets very upset when he loses – he’d be excellent value at twice the price.
Wow,this transfer happened fast, only 2 days ago I was reading transfer rumors about him, now he’s wearing an arsenal Jersey. Hopefully more transfers to follow.
Signing number 1 complete. ????
4 or 5 more to come, let’s do it!
Not sure so many signings are required. Just another CB and a STR Cech Bellerin – Kos – New Signing 2nd – Monreal Ramsey – Xhaka – Cazorla Ozil – Sanchez New Signing STR That will be the core starting XI. As far cover goes- If Jenkinson returns he covers for Bellerin. Debuchy is still on the wage roll remember. So RB looks set. At CB thr won’t be better CB covers than Mert, and Gabriel I suppose can handle being 4th choice. At LB Gibbs is good cover, and I read another cud be signed. But Gibbs alone is… Read more »
But gibbs might want to leave. I hope he doesn’t. That will mean he is mentally stronger than I expect.
Wenger will never add four players the same season. He’s made clear, it hurts the team.
You mean like the season before last where we signed Alexis, Debuchy, Ospina and Chambers? Followed by Gabriel in the winter? I count five.
You forgot Welbeck!
Oh yeah, of course
Or the infamous last day panic buys after the 8-2 demolition we suffered at OT, with 5 players in 24 hours?? Per, Arteta, Santos, Park Chu Yung & Benayoun…
Remember the summer of 2011-
Jenkinson
Toral
Bellerin
Gervinho
Ox
Joel Campbell
Park Chu Young
Mertesacker
Andre Santos
Mikel Arteta
So many legends signed that summer, none bigger than Andre Santos and Park Chu Young.
Only other summer even remotely as busy as that one was 2001-
Jeffers
Juan
Junichi Inamoto !!
van Bronkhorst
Sol Cambell
Richard Wright
Nobody “panic buys” the BFG, or Arteta, for that matter.
He has 4 on the way out minimum from contract expiration, retirement, and two fullbacks who aren’t going to stick around for a full season of the bench again. He’s got no choice but addition or promotion of 4-6 players, and there are gaps in the youth setup in a couple of needed positions.
There’s the little matter of us needing 8 homegrown players in the squad. If Ox, Gibbs & Theo move on that leaves our quota at 5 players (Welbeck, Wilshere, Coquelin, Iwobi, Bellerin) plus 2 loanees (Szczesny & Jenkinson). Unless we’ve identified better British players than Ox or Gibbs I wouldn’t let either leave… Theo can go if we find that “world class” fwd everyone’s been talking about
I’m really hoping with Walcott The Weng is gonna be saying ‘ sell dat ting’! He held us to ransom when we sold RVP and he’s never come close to earning his 100k a week – 10 years man jeeeeeeeeeez!!!
@Too Drunk
Who is Wilshire?
Calum Chambers can play CB and RB. Apart from Liverpool at home, he’s been solid this season.
@Chinaman, he’s also English, so add him to that list too.
Would like to see us get a proper striker. Lacazette’s had 2 good seasons in a row now.
@TDTBO,
very refreshing to see you becoming more rational (and realistic).
last I remembered you wanted to sell the entire team off and buy a new squad.
i’m not quite sure why you are getting so many thumb downs now.
I’ll have to agree with your lineup, Giroud is good enough cover but if we want to win the league next season, we will need someone more ruthless and clinical, which you have intimated.
Since Welbeck is out, I would predict that our next signing will be a striker. We are short on that front.
Ramsey needs replacing in that team… he has been shit, let’s be honest. We need a proper winger who can cross the ball on the right and left.
4 or 5?
except about 3 of those are youth additions…
last season when we seemingly signed only one player we actually added a few to the academy…
so prep ur mind and not get disappointed….
Very interested to see who our starting midfielders will be next season. With this lad we have got some many options, it’s hard to not be excited! Looking forward to next season already!
COYG!
A great start to the summer – a big, commanding, aggressive holding midfielder who can play the ball too. And I much prefer this new kit to Puma’s previous efforts too.
Striker next please, Arsène!
Agree about the kit. Looks great.
good deal of bussiness. He is a very good player, hopefuly will remain injury free and wont have problems fitting in the epl, tho i think he wont have that problem
I’ve been hurt too many times before for this to be a cruel joke
Don’t worry, I think the red socks are for real.
WoW
Lovely stuff. Kudos to arsene for cracking on to the work at hand.
Well done Arsene! And welcome Xhaka! One signing a week from now til September works for me.
#Boomxhakalaka
Me i’m ‘Xhaka’ed. Welcome aboard mate, and please give Spurs a tackle they never imagined
how do you say his name? X-Ha-Ka?
Jaka, with a french J.
Exactly, imagine how the french would pronounce the name jacques, then take the (jhah) part and (ka) to it! Safe to say every idiot commentator will call him “zaka, exzaka, or shaka” anyway…just look how long it took them to get santis name right.
Have they got Santi’s name right, though? Pretty sure I still hear “Carzola” every weekend!
In germany they called him shaka.
Everytime i hear carzola i want to punch the person saying it,
Jaka!!
Sweet. New kit looks beautiful too, but I’m not sure about the snail trail on the front…
Yes, it’s fine except for that strange stripe thing down the front. At first i thought it was just a poor resolution photo but it seems to be in all of them. Socks are nice tho!
We signed an outfield player! #WelcomeXhaka #BoomXhakaLaka
Frere Xhaka, frere Xhaka,
Score a goal, score a goal,
stick it up their striker, stick it up their striker,
in his hole, in his hole.
…What absolute rubbish, but at least it pronounces his name right 🙂
Wenger to bully oppositions with his Granit Coq next season.
or stifle the opposition with a Xhaka-Lin midfield
It is interesting to see who Xhaka will pair with in the middle. Some folks see him as a replacement to the Coq but watching him play I do not see Granit as an out and out DM. I think the comparisons to Schweinsteiger are informative as he plays a more heady box to box game with a nasty streak so the combinations Wenger uses could indeed see him playing alongside Coquelin if the game is very physical or requiring a very defensive base against a team like Bayern or Barcelona. On the other hand, Xhaka could also play really… Read more »
What a fantastic signing. I’m scratching my head thinking how Arsene will he fit everyone, in a good way. I’m most excited about Ramsey (not a joke) finding his form as he did alongside Arteta. But if that were the case, we must fit Santi Ozil and Alexis in. Which means Ozil on the left of the front three. And our best playmaker shouldn’t be out left. What useless ponderings as the season is so so far and lot will depend on our new striker 😉
Welcome Xhakalakaboomboom!!!
no way Wenger would move Ozil out wide after his influence over the last year and a half especially. Ramsey goes there if not to the bench. I think this is such a big reason why Xhaka is signed to give Mesut and Santi and rock at their back with an aggressive nature who can also get the ball moving fast and pick a pass
I think the midfield/wings for next season look like this:
___________Xhaka___________
___________Santi____________
___Rambo___Ozil___Sanchez___
Lots of folks trying to find the perfect starting line-up. Waste of time IMHO. Xhaka isn’t for perfect starting line-ups. He’s for giving Wenger a genuine abaility to rotate when it’s needed, as well as flexibility in the formation he can set up with, depending on who we’re playing, and where we’re playing them. For once he shouldn’ be stuck having to play the same formation every game, shoehorning the (sometimes wrong) player into it whenever some absolutely crucial (perfect starter) gets injured or suspended. We know Wenger can pick teams that don’t do tiki-taka and panic at the back,… Read more »
The first picture looks a bit CGI but I’m still confident the deal is nearly done
That first picture might actually be “Dad’s photos always come out like that.”
Welcome to the home of football, Xhaka.
He looks like a Francis Coquellen part 2!
I can sweeping up in midfield allowing Ozil to put his through-ball in!
A nice and early bit of business that will keep us Gooners happy and motivated.
The next Henry would be a great signing, Mr. Wenger
COYG!
Granit Xhaka is a very solid signing (pun alert) now we need to go all out for a top class striker. Maybe Lukaku is worth a punt. Don’t think he’s worth silly money but if we do show some interest he’s certainly the type to force a move. That added to the fact that Everton are manager-less we could get him for a fairly reasonable price.
Morata and Mahrez now please!!!
Morata yes, mahrez no please
How can you not want last year’s player of the year? Mahrez is phenomenal, he’d provide another creative outlet and would fit in perfectly.
Being a player of the year means zero next season, just ask Hazard. Think he is just a poor version of ozil and might have had a season he can’t repeat. Also leicester system takes the best out of him and players like vardy and kante. Don’t think they would do as well in other top teams that are not build to their strenghts, especially at arsenal where players are routinely played in different roles and positions.
Good but luxurious buy.A proven striker is a necessity.
I dont see how its a luxury buy, with Arteta and Rosicky leaving and Wilshere near enough always injured. It doesn’t leave us with too many options
I don’t think it’s a luxury signing either but you’ve tried to make your point by arguing that we need to replace 3 players that have been irrelevant for the past 2 years. I see it as Wenger not being satisfied with the likes of Coquelin and Ramsey in the middle. I think Xhaka could be the most significant midfield signing since Gilberto.
Is it just me, or does everyone think of the Ikea kitchen department when they see “Granit Xhaka”?
It’s just you
Just you.
Red Socks!!
Need a CB to replace mertesacker and a couple of strikers plz Arsene
Then league should be ours #Happy St.Totteringham’s Day
I can’t see more than 2 signings after Xhaka. Wenger already made it clear Giroud is his starting striker, as for defence and wings, there most definitely will be inclusion of Chris willock and then maybe another signing.MAYBE. One centre back and that’s it. You’ll see, those who are waiting for big signings, prepare to be disappointed. But I don’t think there is any need for more reinforcements, we still have Sanchez, iwobi, willock, Walcott, Ramsey can play on the right too. There simply isn’t enough spaces in squad, to sign more players we’ll need to sell a couple first… Read more »
Two of the worst and most depressing things to say to an Arsenal fan rolled in one sentence… Giroud is our starting striker and we ain’t signing anyone
Someone’s getting sacked in the morning.
My thoughts exactly! Unless it was a relative? His dad is his agent, after all.
For those wondering how to pronounce his name, there’s an excellent post on the Arsenal subreddit.
It’s basically pronounced
“Grah-Neet Jah-Ka”
far as im concerned he is the first white Shakka i know
I endorse this content.
I also endorse the new kit – nothing like seeing it on a shiny new signing to win me over.
Now for Morata or Higuain.
Good signing. Hope he won’t be the last this summer.
It looks like a family member/friend took those pictures.
Boom, boom, xhaka lacka lacka boom
Boom boom, xhaka lacka boom boom…!
That’s gotta be the chant no…?
catchy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnH-wOfP2W0
No need for that imo. 🙁
Wait. Are they going to post the official pictures of him, before Puma’s big annual kit reveal??
I know it’s on the internet but he looks really good!
Boom Shaga-laga-tada! https://youtu.be/bq_WJS_HlPc?t=147
Rock around the coq.
Booooooooom
I like the kit. Well, I like any kit that’s Arsenal’s, but hey, don’t judge unconditional love.
Go and get Ben Arfa Arsene and sell Walcott.
I’m sure that signing of Xhaka means that Ramsey goes back on CM.
Coquelin is great in defensive duties,but his playmaking from depth is poor.
Elneny is opposite,he’s got great passing abilities but his and Aaron’s partnership lacks discipline and isn’t solid enough.
Maybe Xhaka will bring the best out of Aaron.Also I think that it just confirms that Arsene lost his faith in Ox and Theo and that Cazorla and Wilshere will fight for place on right flank.
Think Ramsey is moved to the wing permanently and Xhaka, Coq, Elneny, Cazorla and Wilshere will battle it out for the midfield positions
my blood is red my teeth are white arsenal till i die old, more solid players are still on their way to our own personal home ground Emirate love ya all my fellow gunners hate that dirty chelsky nd sensless sp**rs
Good start, now pls get involved in the fight for Leroy Sane, he is special and i.d be gutted to see him go elsewhere
Photoshop. I called it.
I really really really wanna Granit Xhaka!
He looks like a treble winner in that kit already
Yes! someone with Granit balls I hope, welcome Xhaka.
Thumb up for Real
Thumb down for Photoshop
To the tune of feel for you by chaka khan
can xhaka tackle oh yes xhaka can watch out he’s gonna tackle you
Wild card call I know, but why don’t we just buy Embolo?
Squad : GK : Cech (Ospina or Szsc)Academy Hopeful RB : Bellerin Chambers (or Jenkinson) CB : Per Koscielny Gabriel (+1) LB : Monreal Gibbsy DM : Coquelin Granit (Flamini and/or Zelalem) CM : Santi Ramsey Elneny AM : Ozil Jack RW : Ox Campbell LW : Alexis Iwobi (Gnabry) CF : Giroud Welbeck (+1) There should be triple redundancy for all positions. Wenger will spend on a CF. Morata doesn’t score as much as Giroud but is heralded as ‘world class’ which shows you the absurd nature of how many view things. Still he has excellent potential and could… Read more »