KEY POINTS

  • AS Roma Director Tiago Pinto claims that a move for Granit Xhaka was a "done deal"
  • Arsenal blocked the move and enticed Xhaka to sign a one-year deal
  • Both sides were able to sign their transfer targets, but the pressure is still on Arsenal to make something out of it

Longtime Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka was supposed to leave the club this summer, but the front office was having none of it.

AS Roma director Tiago Pinto recently claimed that Xhaka had his heart set on a move away from the Emirates Stadium, but the club was having none of it and essentially pushed him to sign a one-year deal.

It was reported by Goal.com’s Chris Burton that Xhaka has been hinting at a move away from Arsenal in June when he mentioned that “it is always interesting to learn a new language”.

The language in question could as well be a hint of him moving to Italy and joining AS Roma, with the two sides having been linked together for much of the transfer window.

Xhaka’s new contract with Arsenal has an option for another year, giving both him and the club more time to work things out before he decides to fully leave the club.

Pinto is very much disappointed that AS Roma could not get their top priority at midfield this summer.

"The market is closed and today I have fun because we bought so many players but everyone asks me about the midfielder,” said Pinto.

"Everyone knows we were after Xhaka, he wanted to come to Roma, but Arsenal didn’t release him. It’s my regret for this transfer market."

However, AS Roma was active during the transfer window as they were able to get some of their targets, headlined by the acquisition of Chelsea’s Tammy Abraham.

It has been a tumultuous time for Arsenal fans and the club itself as the club is dwelling at the cellar of the English Premier League, with zero wins through three games.

Manager Mikel Arteta has been feeling the brunt of the pressure as his transfer policy focused mainly on securing younger talent, led by the signings of Ben White, Martin Odegaard and Aaron Ramsdale.

While the move makes sense for Arsenal’s long-term future, fans are worried whether this group can produce wins and bring the club to a better result after finishing in eighth place the past two seasons.

Arsenal, led by transfer-linked captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, will have the chance to net their first Premier League victory over Norwich City when all clubs return from the international break on September 11.

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