Granit Xhaka Leaves Arsenal For Bayer Leverkusen

Trey Daubert / Soccer / July 6, 2023

Granit Xhaka Leaves Arsenal For Bayer Leverkusen

The Gunners have been busy! Declan Rice (link for Rice) and Kai Havertz (link for Havertz) are joining the midfield for Arsenal. That means someone needs to go to clear out playing time for the new additions. Granit Xhaka is headed to the Bundesliga and will sign with Bayer Leverkusen.

Fabrizio Romano was the first to report the news:

Official, confirmed. Granit Xhaka leaves Arsenal and joins Bayer Leverkusen on permanent deal. ⚫️ #Bundesliga

€25m fee, five year contract.

Xabi Alonso, crucial factor to make it happen. pic.twitter.com/lDCIMfr6eP
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 6, 2023

Xhaka will return to the German league for the first time since 2016. Xhaka has been at Arsenal ever since joining that year from Borussia Monchengladbach. Xhaka released a statement on what it all means.

VIA ESPN:

“I know the league inside out and I watched it when I was in London. Bayer 04 is a club with an impressive history and ambitious targets,” said Xhaka.

“Above all, I see it as a club with a great future. Everybody here is ambitious and wants to achieve something – I’m very much looking forward to the next few years.”

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Xhaka, 30, will be sold for €25 million euros ($27.2 million) to Leverkusen. For Arsenal, it helps bring back some money that was spent on Rice and Havertz. Thomas Partey could also be sold but that part is still to be determined. The Gunners have certainly be busy and this could potentially pave the way for more additions. Jurrien Timber is the next who is expected to eventually sign with the club.

Xhaka will join Xabi Alonso over at Leverkusen. They finished 6th in the Bundesliga last year but will obviously hope to improve on that mark in 2023-24.

Arsenal put out a press release following the news as well. You can read that full announcement here.

297 appearances. 23 goals. 29 assists. Two FA Cups. And one inspirational story.

Granit Xhaka: forever a part of the Arsenal family ❤️ pic.twitter.com/gbgRVicFiM
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) July 6, 2023