Arsenal told they have a 'valuable' player, Arteta reportedly looking to sell

Arsenal appear to be closing in on the sale of Granit Xhaka – a “valuable” player – to Roma.

The £30million signing from Borussia Monchengladbach looks likely to leave the Emirates Stadium this summer.

According to football.london, Xhaka agreed a five-year deal to join Roma last week.

Arsenal and the Giallorossi are apparently still wrangling over the transfer fee, however.

Reports from Italy claim the Gunners have reportedly turned down a bid in the region of £12.8million.

Arsenal are instead holding out for closer to £17million for the £100,000-a-week man’s services.

The Corriere dello Sport, via The Express, claimed the clubs “both know the deal is close.

“But neither of them wants to make that extra financial effort to define it.”

While Xhaka’s club future remains in the balance, his international future is much more steady.

He captains the Switzerland team and, according to Benjamin Huggel, is by far the most important player in the country.

“It is clear we need him,” the 41-cap Switzerland icon told BBC Sport.

“He is the guy who makes the difference. If he plays well, Switzerland play well. He is the most important player.

“At Arsenal, sometimes he fouls or goes quickly to the floor to tackle.

“Some pundits criticised him for silly defending, but I cannot understand it.

“Granit is valuable for controlling the game, passing and connecting the defence with the attack.

“If every coach puts him into the starting line-up, he has to be a good player.”

Arsenal could well have to find new midfielders

Last week, the press asked Xhaka about speculation over his future.

“There are always rumours as soon as the transfer market opens but I don’t want to talk about my future,” he told The Telegraph, via Football Italia.

“I am 100 percent focused here with the national team… what happens afterwards, you will then get to know about it.”

So, Xhaka is leaving, Ainsley Maitland-Niles’s future is uncertain, and Dani Ceballos and Martin Odegaard are back at Real Madrid.

Midfield was well covered last season but now the Gunners will need to work hard to bolster their ranks.