Granit Xhaka leaving Arsenal is likely to be the start of a busy summer transfer window for the club.
The Switzerland international has enjoyed his most productive season in a Gunners shirt to date with seven goals and as many assists across all competitions. There are still a couple of games to increase that total, but it's looking likely that he will be bidding farewell after the Wolves clash on May 28.
This is because football.london understands Xhaka is in advanced talks to sign for Bayer Leverkusen this summer and thus marking his return to the Bundesliga. It's thought that the deal is worth €15million (£13million) and that the 30-year-old will sign a contract until 2027.
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Whilst a deal can be agreed in principle, it can't be made official until the international transfer window opens on July 1, 2023. But in any case, Xhaka's likely departure will ultimately move Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta another step closer to avoiding any issues when it comes to naming his Premier League squad for next season.
In terms of incomings, football.london understands West Ham United captain Declan Rice is a priority signing this summer, whilst links to Moises Caicedo, Joao Cancelo, Marc Guehi, Mohamed Simakan and Mason Mount - just to name a few - have emerged in recent weeks.
However, the return of several loanees will pose a squad registration hurdle for the north London outfit to overcome as after the summer transfer window closes they are permitted to name a 25-man squad for the Premier League. From which no more than 17 overseas players can be named with the remaining eight places available to homegrown members of the squad.
To be considered home-grown, players need to have been registered with any club affiliated to The Football Association or the Welsh FA for a period, continuous or not, of three entire seasons, or 36 months, before his 21st birthday (or the end of the season during which he turns 21).
Right now, the Arsenal players who currently meet the home-grown criteria are Benjamin White, Emile Smith Rowe, Eddie Nketiah, Rob Holding, Reiss Nelson and Aaron Ramsdale. Meanwhile, Bukayo Saka, William Saliba and Gabriel Martinelli have to be registered from next season as they will no longer be classed as Under-21s players.
Ainsley Maitland-Niles also meets the criteria but he has already signalled his intention to leave when his contract expires at the end of next month. But as fellow loan stars Folarin Balogun and Arthur Okonkwo must be registered if they figure into Arteta's plans, the Spaniard may potentially have 11 homegrown players already at the club to choose from for next season.
And this is where things get interesting. Assuming Xhaka leaves and taking into account Pablo Mari is to join Monza on a permanent basis, as things stand - not including further potential sales or arrivals - Alex Runarsson, Matt Turner, Cedric Soares, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Gabriel Magalhaes, Jakub Kiwior, Auston Trusty, Kieran Tierney, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Nuno Tavares, Jorginho, Mohamed Elneny, Martin Odegaard, Thomas Partey, Albert Sambi Lokonga, Fabio Vieira, Gabriel Jesus, Leandro Trossard and Nicolas Pepe make up the 19 overseas Arsenal players.
This means the Gunners would be over the required limit by two. However, with Tierney linked with a move to Newcastle United and because players such as Runarsson, Cedric, Trusty, Tavares, Lokonga and Pepe are among those likely to be deemed surplus to requirements, this issue should be resolved over the course of the summer transfer window.
So considering Arsenal's interest in Rice and Caicedo plus other rumoured transfer activity in terms of incomings for the summer, they simply must move senior players on - whether it be on loan or permanently - to free up space in order to meet Premier League regulations and it would appear that Xhaka will be the first of many.
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