Granit Xhaka has officially left Arsenal to join Bayer Leverkusen. Meanwhile, the Gunners will soon announce the signings of Jurrien Timber from Ajax and Declan Rice from West Ham United. Let’s delve into the details of these transfers.
Arsenal Summer Business Part 4: Jurrien Timber and Declan Rice Will Soon Be Announced as New Arsenal Players
According to reports, the transfers of Timber and Rice to Arsenal are completely done. Timber has reportedly completed his Arsenal medical already. Rice has already completed his Arsenal medical and he has completed his media duties, too. As a result, it is likely that Arsenal will announce the two of them as new players soon.
Reportedly, Arsenal is taking its time to make sure that the announcement video for Declan Rice is truly special. That is likely one of the reasons that Declan Rice has not been announced as a new Arsenal player already. Still, it is only a matter of time before that happens. The wait is understandable, given that Arsenal has agreed to pay a club-record fee of 105 million pounds for Rice.
As far as Jurrien Timber goes, it is only a matter of time before the Gunners announce him as a new player, as well. Timber will join Arsenal for a reported fee of roughly 40 million pounds. That is a high price for a 22-year-old defender, but Timber is highly rated and many big clubs were interested in signing him this summer.
It will be great to see Timber and Rice unveiled as new Arsenal players when the Gunners release the announcement videos.
Granit Xhaka Has Joined Bayer Leverkusen on a Permanent Transfer
Granit Xhaka has been an Arsenal player since joining the club in 2016. In that time, Xhaka has won two FA Cups and a Community Shield. Xhaka has gone through a phenomenal redemption arc since 2019, going from one of the most disliked players at Arsenal to one of the most beloved players at the club.
Xhaka’s departure from Arsenal is a bittersweet moment. It is difficult to say good-bye to Xhaka, especially after he had such a great 2022-23 season. Still, 25 million pounds is a good fee for Xhaka and the signing of Rice likely means that Xhaka would have had to accept a role as a backup midfielder. Because of this, Xhaka’s departure seems well-timed and Arsenal can reinvest the money they received from selling Xhaka into further strengthening its squad ahead of next season.
Arsenal Will Likely Focus on Selling Players Now
The Gunners have spent more than 200 million pounds in the 2023 summer transfer window. As a result, it is likely that Arsenal will shift focus to selling unwanted players for a bit. Xhaka and Mari have already been sold. Holding, Pepe, Runarsson, and others are likely to leave Arsenal this summer. I would bet that Arsenal signs at least one more player in the 2023 summer transfer window, though, likely a right winger to provide cover for Bukayo Saka.
Check back next week for more Arsenal content.