WRIGHT CRITICISES ARSENAL DECISION ON XHAKA

Arsenal legend Ian Wright has criticised the club’s decision to sell midfielder Granit Xhakathis summer especially after his impressive performances with the Switzerland team at the Euro 2020 tournament.

Switzerland skipper Xhaka was one of the best players at the Euro 2020 tournament as he helped his country reach the last eight before they were knocked out by Spain via penalties. He missed the quarterfinal clash with the three-time champions due to suspension and a lot of people think the outcome might have been different if Xhaka played the game. Spain and Switzerland played out a 1-1 draw at the end of 120 minutes before the Spaniards booked a semi-final berth at the end of the dreaded penalty shootout.

Xhaka was in outstanding form in the round of 16 clash between Switzerland and world champions France thus prompting Ian Wright to tell ITV that it’s the best he has seen Xhaka played. Ian Wright confessed that he has always been highly critical of the Swiss international.

Media reports claimed that Xhaka has told Arsenal officials that he wants to leave the club this summer and Italian Serie A capital club AS Roma are in negotiations to sign him. New Roma manager Jose Mourinho is a big fan of the Arsenal midfielder and he previously defended him in the face of criticisms from Arsenal fans and other football stakeholders.

Basel native Xhaka moved to Arsenal from German team Borussia Moenchengladbach in a £36m deal in the summer of 2016 and he has been a scapegoat for the Arsenal fans since then due to the club’s underachieving status. Since his arrival five years ago, Arsenal have not qualified for Champions League football. Xhaka has not played in the Champions League for the Gunners. Xhaka was a regular member of the Arsenal team that failed to even qualify for Europe at the end of last season.