Immediately realising he wanted a regista at AS Roma after he took over, José Mourinho turned his attention to Arsenal’s Granit Xhaka and never let go.
The Serie A side did (almost) everything to try and please the Portuguese manager last summer, but signing the Switzerland international was something they never achieved, with the player subsequently signing a new contract with the Gunners.
That meant very little, however, since he still isn’t a fan favourite at the Emirates, and talk of an exit continues to follow him around like a bad smell.
AS Roma remain interested, which is what both Gazzetta dello Sport and Corriere dello Sport report on Friday.
As for the latter of the two outlets, they explain the decision this summer for AS Roma will be between Maxime Lopez, currently at Sassuolo, or the Gunners’ midfielder, ‘who could leave Arsenal’.
They point out his future at the Emirates ‘is not so obvious’ for the reasons stated above, and while the Italian club didn’t have the resources to get their man last year, they might be able to this time around, expecting a lot of incoming money from Marseille, who have signed Pau Lopez and Cengiz Under on permanent deals.
Unfortunately, until Xhaka does leave Arsenal, talk of his exit will never cease, it seems.
