Roma may have missed out on Jose Mourinho’s primary transfer target, with Arsenal ready to offer Granit Xhaka a new contract.
Xhaka has been a priority objective for Roma ever since Mourinho took charge of the club. The former Tottenham coach is a major admirer of the Arsenal midfielder and wanted a deal done before Euro 2020.
Ultimately, that never happened in time, with Xhaka going on to impress for Switzerland at the tournament, potentially complicating the transfer picture.
There were rumours of rival interest, but the midfielder was willing to wait so he could team up with Mourinho. A few weeks before the start of the season, though, there is still no sign of him in Rome.
Instead, Xhaka is ready to return to training with Arsenal, who are trying to end the transfer saga once and for all by offering him a new contract – according to the Athletic and Sky Sport.
Roma have been unable to meet their asking price, so despite Xhaka being a divisive figure at the Emirates Stadium, his current club are ready to put their faith in him.
Unless Xhaka declines the new deal, Roma will have to turn their attention to other targets. For example, the Telegraph name Borussia Dortmund’s Thomas Delaney as an option.
Missing out on Xhaka after such a public pursuit will be a major blow for Roma, but until any new deal at Arsenal becomes official, they may still have a glimmer of hope. Even so, time is seriously running out now.
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