Ian Wright says there is ‘no way’ Arsenal should be selling Granit Xhaka based on his form at the Euros but concedes the club have rarely seen the best from a player who now seems to be heading to Roma.
Xhaka is expected to join the Serie A club after Switzerland’s Euros campaign, bringing an end to his five-year stint at the Emirates.
The midfielder has had a turbulent spell in north London, playing more than 200 matches for the gunners but often flattering to deceive and falling out with the club’s supporters along the way.
He has had an outstanding European Championship campaign, however, and Wright claims he was ‘magnificent’ in Switzerland’s win over France earlier in the week.
Xhaka’s display was bittersweet for Wright and many Arsenal supporters who rarely saw the player dominate games for the London side, and are now braced for his exit from the Emirates.
Speaking on ITV’s Football Show podcast, Wright said: ‘That is the best I’ve ever seen him [Xhaka] play. ‘I feel for him because he’s someone I’ve been very critical of in the past and when you see a performance like, do you blame him or the coaches for not getting those performances out of him in the past?
‘I have never seen him used to that effect. There’s no way Arsenal should be selling a player that can play like that, at that level.
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‘So unfortunately for us it looks like he is going but I’m delighted for him because he’s answered a lot of critics. He was magnificent.’
On his Ringer FC podcast, Wright added: ‘Can I say something about Granit Xhaka? I was delighted to see how well he played, that’s the best I’ve ever seen him play.
‘He was everywhere, he done everything and it looks like he’s probably going to Roma. He’s not been my favourite player but what we saw in that game was a complete midfielder who was used properly.
‘Seeing him play that well and knowing what we need at Arsenal, it’s a shame we never got performances like that for whatever reason. It’s a shame.’
