Granit Xhaka has contributed with goals and assists while featuring regularly for Arsenal this season. The midfielder has five goals and five assists from 31 league games.
The 30-year-old has a deal expiring in 2024 and the Gunners have an option to extend it by a year. Mikel Arteta’s side may have to look into the market to find his long-term successor.
Former Feyenoord star Jan Boskamp has told Koffie met Boskamp, relayed by Soccernews, that Orkun Kökçü would be the right fit to replace Xhaka at Arsenal next season.
The Turkey international has been one of the standout players at Feyenoord in their bid to win the title this season. Operating in the middle of the pitch, he’s managed 12 goals and four assists from 40 matches.
“If I could say it, I would send him to Arsenal. Why? Because there is a lot of footballing ability in that team and there are many young boys out there. And that Swiss [Xhaka], I think he is on his last legs,” he said.
Kökçü has attracted the attention of several clubs and Boskamp explains why this is not at all surprising.
“You can see that he enforced it. He has become an extension of the trainer. You can see on the field that he has grown compared to last year,” Boskamp explained.
“He takes the corners and the free kicks and if he chases through and others don’t participate, you see him shouting: ‘Hey, join us’. He didn’t do that a year and a half ago. Now he’s the big man in midfield.”
