Arsenal transfer news: Granit Xhaka’s agent says midfielder wants to join Hertha Berlin in January

Swiss international's future with the Gunners has been in doubt ever since storming off the pitch against Crystal Palace

(Reuters)

Granit Xhaka‘s agent has admitted that the midfielder wants to leave Arsenal in January.

Jose Noguera told Swiss publication BLICK that Xhaka has agreed personal terms with Hertha Berlin and that Arsenal have been informed of his desire to leave when the transfer window opens next month.

The Swiss international’s future has been in doubt ever since he swore at Arsenal’s supporters after being substituted against Crystal Palace at the end of September. Xhaka was subsequently stripped of the captaincy and dropped by then manager Unai Emery.

“Look, I will say it frankly and honestly: we are in agreement with Hertha BSC and would like to go to Berlin,” Noguera said.

“That’s what we said Arsenal’s club boss Raul Sanllehi and sports director Edu Gaspar – as well as the new coach Mikel Arteta.”

Despite Noguera’s statement, Arteta had previously claimed that Xhaka still had a future at Arsenal and revealed Manchester City had considered signing the player in July 2016. It’s been reported, however, that Arteta’s comments irked Xhaka, who had been privately told by the new manager that he was free to leave in the summer.

“When I was going from Arsenal to City to start coaching and we were looking in that position, he was one of the players on my list,” Arteta said. “This is how much I liked him. I was happy when Arsenal signed him because I thought he was going to be a terrific player.

“He has done some really good things and now he has got stuck in a very difficult situation that, I think, was growing and growing and growing and one day it exploded. But I have been amazed as well by how this relationship is starting to come back a little bit and I think the fans have been very, very positive about him. Obviously it is difficult to change completely the scenario from where he was to a magnificent one. But I think we are in the right direction with him.”