AS Roma were keen on completing Granit Xhaka’s signing before the start of Euro 2020 and this was reported in Italy and Switzerland.
The Giallorossi’s efforts to sign the midfielder are yet to succeed because of their failure to find an agreement with Arsenal.
According to Gazzetta dello Sport, the 28-year-old is waiting for the Serie A side and the Gunners to reach an agreement for the transfer.
It’s claimed the Switzerland international made a decision to join Roma two months ago, after finding out José Mourinho wanted him, and had hoped the deal would go through before the Euros.
The signing has been delayed because Arsenal ‘continue to ask €20m’ [at least €18m plus bonuses], while the Italian capital club ‘do not want to exceed’ €15m on a player who will turn 29 years of age in September.
There’s ‘total agreement’ between Roma and Xhaka for a four-year contract worth €2m net per season and he has said he’s willing to let go of some of the money he’s entitled to receive from Arsenal to ‘facilitate the negotiation’.
GdS end their report by stating: ‘And should he return to London to respond to Arsenal’s call-up, Xhaka is also ready to force his hand a little longer to join the Portuguese at Roma’.
The report suggests the deal to take Mikel Arteta’s man to Rome is ‘not a question of if, but of when’ and maybe pressure from the player himself could help Mourinho’s side break the deadlock.
