Chelsea’s derisory offer for Granit Xhaka changes everything from an Arsenal perspective on the potential deal
Chelsea’s move for Granit Xhaka has taken a new twist. Quite frankly, it has changed everything.
On Sunday, I wrote that Chelsea’s move for Xhaka should start sounding the alarm bells for the likes of Arsenal. The Blues have fallen so far from their traditional rivals that they have almost become entirely irrelevant in the context of future title races.
Out of Europe, the billions that have been spent and several head coaches they have gone through have led them backwards. With a manager in Xabi Alonso appointed, however, it does appear the direction has changed.
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A move for Xhaka, which saw the strategy veer wildly from the sub-23 age profile of so many previous deals in the past few years, was another example of that redirection. Understandably, there was some pushback to the idea, although social media is never the best place to expect any nuanced discussion on… well, anything.
However, the news that has since transpired has restored my hope that Chelsea will remain on a fractured path, far from the likes of Arsenal. The bid, which has since been rejected out of hand by Sunderland, was reported to be £8million.
Quite frankly, for a player who many considered the signing of the summer and is currently playing for a team finishing higher in the Premier League than Chelsea, it is an embarrassing offer. Some Arsenal fans took to the socials to complain that some reports suggested Sunderland might get more than what Arsenal sold the Swiss midfielder to Bayer Leverkusen three years ago.
I think there was plenty of evidence to suggest that a figure north of £20million would be a fair price for Xhaka despite being 33. He’d be moving to another Premier League club, taking a “theoretical” step up.
Arsenal paid £12million for Christian Norgaard, who, with respect, is not near the level of Xhaka, in my opinion at least and was 31 at the time. The loan of Joao Palhinha included a loan fee of around £4million, and the soon-to-be 31-year-old had an option of around £26million to make the deal permanent, which could yet be paid to Bayern Munich.
Xhaka himself cost £17million when he left Leverkusen a year ago, inclusive of £4million in add-ons, and he’s managed to get even better and prove his worth for a second time in the top league in the world. This means his book value is higher than the offer from Chelsea, meaning the Blues’ offer would have seen Sunderland effectively make a loss on their best player from last season.
Overall, Arsenal should still be keeping their eye on Chelsea, but this derisory offer, in my opinion, has eased fears, no doubt.
