Granit Xhaka confirms imminent decision over Arsenal future

The Switzerland international has unexpectedly reignited his career at the Emirates under Mikel Arteta after memorably swearing to the fans and storming off the field against Crystal Palace in 2019.

Xhaka was expected to head for the exit door after that incident, but Arteta convinced the 30-year-old to stay on, and he has enjoyed a highly productive season in the Arsenal engine room.

Xhaka has come up with seven goals and seven assists in 46 matches for the Gunners this season, forming an effective partnership with Thomas Partey to end Arsenal's seven-year absence from the Champions League.

However, the former Borussia Monchengladbach man is only under contract at the Emirates until 2024 with the option of a further year, and he is rumoured to be on the brink of joining Bayer Leverkusen in a £13m deal as Arsenal prepare to bolster their midfield options in the summer window.

Speaking to the Evening Standard after Saturday's 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest, which ended any hopes Arsenal had of pipping Manchester City to the title, Xhaka confirmed that his future will be clarified before the visit of Wolves, which could be his last-ever game in an Arsenal shirt.

"You will know the latest next week, for sure. I think they (the fans) deserve that and I do myself as well. We have one more week of this Premier League season, the first thing is I want to enjoy [it] and, for sure, you guys will know next week what happens with my future," Xhaka said.

"This is what I said when I speak about special. I mean, how I say it, where I have been three years ago and how I came back and my turnaround, maybe. It makes me proud, makes me happy as well. But this is my story, this is my path.

"Of course, if next week we know much more what happen with my future, I will be thankful for the fans because how they treat me after this, I didn't expect that if I am honest.

"I am thankful for that and I want to give them something back [for] maybe my last game on Sunday. I wanted to do something special this season, maybe with a title, but it's not the time. Let's see what the future speaks about it.

"Where I have been three years ago and where I am today, I think I grew up like a person, like a player and I got the respect back, what I think I deserve as well from the fans. We have worked 11 months very well, I think. Let's enjoy the last game at home."

Arsenal forked out £39.1m to bring Xhaka to North London from Monchengladbach in 2016, and the midfielder has since produced 21 goals and 29 assists from 296 games for the club in all tournaments.

Xhaka has won two FA Cups and two Community Shields at the Emirates, and despite being stripped of the permanent captaincy in 2019, he has worn the armband four times in the Europa League and once in the FA Cup this season during Martin Odegaard's absences.

Arsenal are believed to be open to letting Xhaka leave as they try to strike deals for West Ham United's Declan Rice and Brighton & Hove Albion's Moises Caicedo, having tried and failed with two bids for the latter during the January window before signing Jorginho from Chelsea.

As well as Xhaka, Albert Sambi Lokonga - who has endured a difficult loan spell at Crystal Palace during the second half of the season - could also be on the way out as part of Arsenal's midfield overhaul, with Arteta said to be prepared to freeze the Belgian out of the squad.