Granit Xhaka (official)

[Munchies]

To be honest I don't know much about him (I don't think many of us do) but if Wenger of all managers is prepared to spend £30m on a player, you have to assume he's got something about him. I don't see him parting with this kind of cash on any old flavour of the month player.

I read some comparisons with Schweinsteiger and Alonso which is encouraging at least, god knows we've needed a proper CM for years.

I hadn't heard of him 6 months ago, so let's hope he settles well and can show us what he has in his locker.

He seems to get booked alot, but from what I've read, he is a 'natural leader' on the pitch and stands up for himself and the team.

[I am invisible]

He never was. We simply got excited because we had a player that worked hard, didn't leave gaping holes in midfield and liked to tackle. In the modern incarnation of Wenger's team it seem revolutionary. But in reality he isn't the answer to our central midfield when it comes to starting every week. A good player, definitely want to keep him as a useful squad member but not beyond that.

I think part of the problem is that Coquelin and Cazorla work best as a package, and fill in the blanks in each other's games really well - the two of them together is a beautiful thing, but lose one and you kind of lose the whole attacking or defensive side of the heart of the team. Given the frequency and severity of the injuries we pick up, that's a worry.

With players like Xhaka, Elneny, and dare I say Wilshere, if he's ever fit (and played in the right place), I think we're looking at more independent, rounded players - none of them may be quite the passer that Cazorla is, or quite as efficient a tackler and interceptor as Coq is, but they're all competent or better in both areas, and I think each of them would probably cope with the loss of any given partner a little easier?

[I am invisible]

I hadn't heard of him 6 months ago, so let's hope he settles well and can show us what he has in his locker.

He seems to get booked alot, but from what I've read, he is a 'natural leader' on the pitch and stands up for himself and the team.

Maybe he's just an English player (so to speak) playing in a foreign league, and the sort of things he gets booked for out there may be no big deal in the Prem?

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

To be honest I don't know much about him (I don't think many of us do) but if Wenger of all managers is prepared to spend £30m on a player, you have to assume he's got something about him. I don't see him parting with this kind of cash on any old flavour of the month player.

I read some comparisons with Schweinsteiger and Alonso which is encouraging at least, god knows we've needed a proper CM for years.

That is a reasonable assumption yes......though haven't many lost faith in his judgement? I don't expect him to be a dud.....but I am surprised so many expect him to easily be the first name on the team sheet. Probably just relieved we are spending money.

I actually think we have a midfield good enough to win a league but not a front line....and that has been the case far too long now.

[Maestro]

Car Jacker in London and completing personal terms and a medical this weekend

[Marc Overmars]

That is a reasonable assumption yes......though haven't many lost faith in his judgement? I don't expect him to be a dud.....but I am surprised so many expect him to easily be the first name on the team sheet. Probably just relieved we are spending money.

I actually think we have a midfield good enough to win a league but not a front line....and that has been the case far too long now.

I think we've lacked a good all round CM for years, how many times do we just seem to empty the midfield and get overrun?

I still agree with the attack though, without an effective front line we're never going to be competitive in the league or CL.

[Gooner23]

Add to that list a better manager as well. Regardless who we sign in the summer I have little faith in us properly challenging next season with Wenger still at the helm.

[AFC Leveller]

In a way us signing Xhaka is like somebody having a faulty engine but instead of buying a new one, he decides to replace his rims....

[Niall_Quinn]

I think we've lacked a good all round CM for years, how many times do we just seem to empty the midfield and get overrun?

I still agree with the attack though, without an effective front line we're never going to be competitive in the league or CL.

So many reasons why this signing won't make a blind bit of difference come next May. We all know what they are and we all know where they originate. Unless we're going to change almost everything about our game then we're going nowhere. Even the staunchest optimist must have twigged by this iteration in the loop. At least in Groundhog Day Murray learns as he goes, he doesn't just do the same thing over and over.

[selassie]

This boy is coming with a big rep, Pep tried to sign him for Bayern last summer and Gladbach rejected the 35mill offer. From the little I've seen of him he looks a very good player, highly technical, strong in the tackle, very good passer (long & short). He has the potential to be world class if he keeps on developing. Good signing, surprised we've got him.

Still think we need to upgrade Centre Forward & Centre Back.

P.S I Agree with NQ, this signing will be pointless if we don't adapt our approach and implement a system that benefits the starting players.