West Ham United and Arsenal outcast Granit Xhaka might just be the perfect fit this January.
West Ham have seen a fine start to the season fizzle out of late.
No wins in six tells its own story and Hammers boss Manuel Pellegrini is suddenly a man under pressure.
Gunners midfielder Xhaka knows all about being under pressure from fans.
His very public spat with the Arsenal fans culminated in the 27-year-old being stripped of the captaincy controversially bestowed on him by committee only last month (Sky Sports).
Xhaka future in serious doubt
The saga has cast serious doubts about Xhaka’s future at the Emirates, where fans have not been keen on him for some time.
Over in East London, West Ham are desperate for more combative quality in midfield.
Pellegrini’s squad is being exposed for a lack of strength in depth. And the Chilean has only ageing flop Carlos Sanchez as back-up for Delcan Rice and Mark Noble.
Xhaka will struggle to take a step up from Arsenal if he leaves in January.
But a move to West Ham might just make perfect sense for all involved.
West Ham move could just make perfect sense for all parties
The midfielder would be an upgrade for the Hammers. A loan deal with the option to buy would mean no big outlay for West Ham, no big upheaval for Xhaka and an end to the stand-off between the player and Arsenal supporters.
It could also help Pellegrini unlock the potential in Xhaka’s international teammate Albian Ajeti.
The striker has failed to impress when given the chance this season after signing for just £8million from Basel on deadline day in the summer.
The pair know eachother’s games well having been part of the Swiss squad together over the last 18 months.
It would be a low risk signing for West Ham and would likely get the backing of Hammers skipper Mark Noble.
Noble urges ‘quality’ Xhaka to seek move
The West Ham captain spoke out last week in support of Xhaka and urged him to seek a move away from Arsenal (Evening Standard).
“Granit is one of those players who wears his heart on his sleeve and it’s tough for him at the moment,” Noble said in the Evening Standard.
“In all honesty, the best solution might be to tell his agent, “Look, they don’t like me here, so maybe it’s best if I go and play somewhere else”. There would be a lot of takers for him because he is a quality player and it does seem, from the outside, that his fellow players love him, both as a professional and a person. If I was him I would say, “I’ve had a great time here, but it’s not worked out recently and it’s time for a new challenge.”
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