Arsenal have confirmed the signing of Granit Xhaka from Borussia Moenchengladbach for an undisclosed fee, believed to be in the region of £30 million including add-ons.
The Swiss midfielder, who has been linked with the club since the turn of the year, is the first acquisition of the summer and the third most expensive in the Gunners’ history behind Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez.
Confirmation of the deal came a couple of days after pictures of his unveiling at London Colney were leaked on Twitter by his brother.
Xhaka began his career at Basel before moving to Moenchengladbach in a five-year deal for €8.5 million in 2012. A fixture in the Swiss national side, he leaves the Bundesliga with 140 appearances to his name and over a year’s experience as captain having been handed the armband by Borussia’s former coach Lucien Favre in February 2015.
Speaking about latest signing, Arsene Wenger said, “Granit Xhaka is an exciting young player, already with good Champions League and Bundesliga experience.
“We have been watching him for a long time now and he is a player who will add quality to our squad. We wish Granit a good Euro 2016 with Switzerland and look forward to welcoming him to Arsenal ahead of next season.”
The players has has his medical, and will now join up with his country as they begin their preparations for EURO 2016 in France.
Xhaka has the number 34, his digits at Basel and Moenchengladbach, tattooed on his back … something Francis Coquelin may find amusing.
We’ll let you know his official squad number as soon as it’s confirmed.
Well done!!
On our day : You don’t get the ball from Cazhaka!
On their day : You don’t go past Coqhaka!
Great signing!
Not a bad try, need some refining though.
How could you go past Xhakalin?!
How are we ignoring the Granite Coq? It dangles there just waiting for an invader to slap away.
you sir deserve a cookie
It’s fuckin excellent
Wow this came out of nowhere.
Now I can get to focusing on my work for a few days before the frenzy about some striker.
Now that caught me off guard!!
Have to say, brilliant #banter from the club retweeting “announce Xhaka” tweets before the announcement. And yay, new signing!
This one was a bit embarrassing though https://twitter.com/Arsenal/status/735423725579972610
I get what you’re saying, but a club with Arsenal’s online reach has a strong grasp of the demographic that’s most active on Twitter and will tailor it’s humour accordingly. It’s more relaxed than what you’d get on the official website, and that’s not a bad thing.
Top marks to Borussia for their reply btw!
Well. I wasn’t expecting that. Nice little surprise.
His face looks like a blend of Arteta and Wilshere. Good signing!
And some of Ramsey as well 😉
Wishere and Christiano Ronaldo!
Boom Xhakalaka!
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xkbojp_apache-indian-boom-shakalaka_tv
Welcome “Mr lover man”
“XHAKA”
ala Shabba Ranks
Did not see that coming!
There seem to be a lot of people whining about us buying a midfielder (AW always buys midfielders!) when we need a world class striker.
There is plenty of time to buy a striker. We have just lost 3 midfielders from our senior squad.
I am sure he will be a good signing. I know bugger all about him but it would be nice if we can get our transfer business wrapped up early to save us having to be linked with every player under the sun.
Now if we sign Emre Can and they keep passing to each other…. we can do the “Xhaka Can, Xhaka Can” with a couple of keepy-uppies/auto-passes by Granit “Xhaka, Xhaka”…
Xhaka’s obsession with the number 34 stems from his childhood where the coach once told him he’d never amount to a number 7.
Didn’t he say ‘you’ll have to add something to be a 7?’
That’s much better. Credit where it’s due.
Ta, though your idea in the first place, just a refinement.
We’ve got Xhaka, Granit Xhaka,
I just don’t think you understand,
He came here from Gladbach,
He’s better than Ballack,
We’ve got Granit Xhaka!
It’s been done bro
Still looking for a song for him? What about Blue Swede – Hooked On A Feeling?
Damn it, Granit, I love you
I’m all for a rocky horror chant : )
Xhaka, Xhaka, Xhaka, Xhaka, Xhaka, Xhaka, Xhaka, Xhaka, mushroom.
Kinda looks like Superman (Henry Cavill).
Would be very interesting to see the starting line-up next season…
I’m still 99% sure the photos and this story are fake, will wait until I see him on the pitch before celebrating.
It’s on goal.com, I think we’re good!
http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2892/transfer-zone/2016/05/25/23781852/official-arsenal-complete-xhaka-signing?ICID=HP_HN_1
But what do caughtoffside have to say on the matter?
They are reporting that Xhaka is not happy at Arsenal and he is seeking a move to Barcelona.
Don’t worry, just checked and Metro have an article saying he will be tied down to a 7 year deal
Yeah, That Arsenal.com site is well known for faking stories….
That came out of the blue
Welcome aboard the good ship Arsenal, Granit. May your journey with us be laden with good times and precious treasures.
Mushrooooooooooooooooooooooooooom
I just wanted to say thanks for sorting out the ‘more stories’ pop-up.
It’s now small enough that I can click the X whilst my window is at a reduced size 🙂
I’d like to think the change was based on my feedback but I don’t care either way. If it was, credit to you guys for caring about your audience, unlike some other websites **cough**bbc**cough**.
Xhaka Xhaka, eh eh
Xhaka Xhaka, eh eh
Score this game for Arsenal
Or something.
Rock hard nipples
question is, who’s getting benched? Coq/Ramsey/Elneny…
the ones who are injured
But then who is going to play??
is it just me or does Xhaka look a bit like Jack Wilshere? Might be a better, more sane, less whiny replacement…(seriously cannot believe Jack would be complaining about the fact he played his TWO games this season on the wing…Such a little Prima Dona).
Here’s to a straight red card, subsequent 3 match suspension and Switzerland to get knocked out at the group stage ?
My season ticket renewal form arrived this morning….
what a coincidence.
Winger also said, “Like last summer I am glad I have made this acquisition early so that I can fool the fans in to thinking this is the beginning of a spree in a squad that needs a fee big signings when in fact my business done. I believe the kids call it ‘banter’.
Xhaka, Xhaka, Xhaka Xhaka Khan Xhaka Khan Xhaka Khan Xhaka Khan Xhaka Khan Let me rock you Let me rock you Xhaka Khan Let me rock you That’s all I wanna do Xhaka Khan Let me rock you Let me rock you Xhaka Khan Let me rock you ‘Cause I feel for you Xhaka Khan Won’t you tell me What you wanna do Do you feel for me The way I feel for you Xhaka Khan Let me tell you what I wanna do I wanna love you Wanna hug you Wanna squeeze you too Let me take you in… Read more »
Okay the last one was a mental block that I seem to have with the name Xhaka & Chaka Kahn…
Perhaps a double header with the Gunnersauras might be better.
Open the door, get on the floor
Everybody walk the dinosaur
Open the door, get on the floor
Everybody walk the dinosaur
Boom boom Xhaka lacka lacka boom
Boom boom Xhaka lacko boom boom
Boom boom Xhaka lacka lacka boom
Boom boom Xhaka lacko boom boom
My sincere apologies, I just had to get these off of my chest
Unforgiving crowd today 🙂
Do you want Xhaka to make love to you or marshal the midfield? With your song I can’t tell!
Welcome to Arsenal, Xhaka.
Looking forward to previewing him more in the Euros!
On another note – Mr Blogs – Just a heads up; I’d love to say how great your new site look is but for some reason it looks as scewed as Harry Kane’s gob on my browser – (I use Safari on Mac OSX) so I thought I’d let you know. Could be a fuck up my end but the last site was fine.
Clear the cache, then refresh 😉
THat’s done it – thank you sir!
Wow! Awesome new look!
Mushroom
Let’s make it his chant please! Fantastic idea by blogs.
Xhaka, Xhaka, Xhaka, Xhaka, Xhaka, Xhaka, Xhaka, Xhaka, Xhaka, Xhaka, Xhaka, Xhaka, MUSHROOM, MUSHROOM.
Dont injured yourself at Euro please, i know you wont
By all accounts, he’s better than Matic (at least last season), Schneiderling, Dyer and Fernandinho in his position. Only Kante comes close but he’s only proven over a 1-game a week season.
Not only that, we’ve got Coq as back up who is arguably as good as the afore mentioned names.
So Midfield sorted. Now for that Striker.
He has quite a good haircut. Not as good as Arteta’s, so we’ve definitely downgraded with this signing, but quite good.
(So how is “Xhaka” pronounced anyway?)
like the french say Jacque but with an Ah – I just keep getting ”I feel for you” by Chaka Khan when i read it… Xhaka-kan – Xhaka-kan Xhaka-kan….Xhaka-Xhaka….
But if you’re under 25 you probably won’t know it so Youtube it!
If that doesn’t end up his song I’m gonna be pissed off. Xhaka can Xhaka can, let him rock you, Xhaka can
I love the idea, but wonder how it’ll sound with masses of voices trying to sing it together.
Another mentioned earlier is stuck in my head though-
I can seriously hear “Ooga xhaka, ooga ooga ooga Xhaka” (x3) And then the crowd busts into the high note:
IIIIIII-I-IIII-I-IIIIII, Am Hooked on a feeeeliiiiing!
It’s spliced a touch, but it’s in my head.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bo-qweh7nbQ
I really like this idea.
I have just listened to an Albanian man reciting the sounds of the Albanian alphabet and can confirm that the sound of xh should be like the j in the English Jack rather than the J in the French Jacques.
Zh would make the sound of the J in the French Jacques.
Link if anyone is interested: http://www.omniglot.com/writing/albanian.htm
Granit Xhaka is announced just as the Football 365 website crashes.
Coincidence? Probably.
SSN r tossers. 🙂 They made a point of saying he captained his team to 4th place and a CL position last season. Trolling the Arse already?
Anyway, will be nice to see some lumps kicked out of some of the rugby playing clubs. I remember when we had aplayer sent off regualry and would still win. That was badass.
Obviously nostalgia affects my ability to spell.
Great news. Now watch him break his leg at the Euros! I jest. For all his DM qualities, looks like he’s got one hell of a strike on him, too: http://sport.bt.com/arsenal-fans-did-you-know-25m-new-boy-had-this-in-his-locker-91364064240868
Is it just me, or does his face look like a combination of Wilshere and Ramsey? Hopefully his footballing abilities will also be an amazing combination…
This is most pleasant.. I’m starting to get taste out of my food again..
Great to see such an early signing from Wenger, hope the additional signings are done early as well so we don’t have to hear about all the dumb rumors linking us to all kinds of players.
Coq number 27? At the end of the Arsenal ‘welcome Xhaka’ video, Coq is doing his talky bit suggesting you subscribe, with a 27 on his shirt
What’s that you say? A post about squad numbers is coming up???
Oh, boy! Cant wait
We have a lot of CM’s competing for a place now (providing they stay fit that is). I’m guessing Wenger sees Ramsey’s best position out wide which I feel will definitely benefit the team. He’s had some decent games in that position.
Dare I think that Arsene has finally copped on as to whats required to challenge for a title?
If we sign a top striker this summer, I for one will start to “believe” again.
Granit will be our rock in midfield…
Arsenal make £100m+
Ivan “invites” me to renew my season tickets.
We sign our third most expensive player ever.
Coincidence?
Welcome Xhaka please bring some Vieira bite into our midfield.
Dickie and the office boys doing their part. Solid effort lads.
Out of interest how is this allowed? Germany’s transfer window opens on the 1st of June and ours 1st July?