Arsenal news: Granit Xhaka is the future of the club, claims Jamie Carragher

Xhaka joined the Gunners for £35m during the summer and has impressed in recent weeks, firing in two stunning goals against Nottingham Forest and Hull City

Granit Xhaka in action for Arsenal during their midweek victory against Nottingham Forest in the EFL Cup (Getty)

Jamie Carragher has claimed that Granit Xhaka is the future of Arsenal and believes the Swiss should start in his side’s Premier League clash against Chelsea on Saturday.

Xhaka joined the Gunners for £35m during the summer and has impressed for the club in recent weeks, firing in two stunning goals against Nottingham Forest and Hull City within the space of seven days.

Despite his hefty price-tag, Xhaka has not been guaranteed a starting spot under manager Arsene Wenger.

Both Francis Coquelin and Santi Cazorla have started ahead of the Swiss this season but Carragher believes it’s time Wenger handed Xhaka the “responsibility of driving his team forward”.

“Only last week, he [Wenger] sang the praises of how good Santi Cazorla and Francis Coquelin have been in midfield,” Carragher wrote in the Daily Mail.

“That might be so but that axis has not been good enough to take Arsenal to where they want to go so why persist with it?”

Carragher suggested that Xhaka would be the ideal midfield choice for Wenger’s team as they line up against Chelsea on Saturday at 5.30pm.

“A huge game on Saturday for Arsenal and Chelsea and it will be interesting to see whether Arsene Wenger is ready to unleash his £35million summer signing.

“Xhaka scored another thumping goal in Arsenal’s League Cup win at Nottingham Forest on Tuesday but Wenger has been intent on easing him into his team.

“Xhaka is surely the future and if he has the talent that Wenger says he has, you would expect him to be at home in this type of battle.”

The player’s fiery temperament would certainly be well accustomed to the intensity of the London rivalry which has often proved too much for Wenger’s sides in recent years.

As Carragher suggests, Xhaka’s inclusion could bring a much-needed physical dimension to the Gunners as they look for their first Premier League victory against Chelsea since 2011.