Granit Xhaka is edging closer to a move to Roma to join up with Jose Mourinho and the Italians want the deal finalised before the Euros start on Friday.

Granit Xhaka arrives in Bad Ragaz.
Granit Xhaka arrives in Bad Ragaz.

Football.London’s Chris Wheatley is reporting that ‘Granit Xhaka is edging closer to signing for Roma’ in a move that seems set to end the midfielder’s tumultuous five years at the club.

https://twitter.com/ChrisWheatley_/status/1401932787247112196

Corriere dello Sport expand on this to say that Roma’s general manager, Tiago Pinto, intensified contact with Arsenal last week to try and complete the deal before the start of the Euros. They kick-off on Friday 11 June (get your free Euro 2020 printable wallchart here). Switzerland play their first game the following day.

CdS add that Roma have offered €15m for Xhaka and Arsenal want €23m so they expect a deal to be concluded somewhere around €18m (£15.5m) which probably represents better business for the Italians than Arsenal who paid £40.5m for Xhaka in 2016 who, as unpopular as he can be, has a key player for Arsenal for a number of years.

Working with Jose Mourinho would ‘appeal’ to Granit Xhaka according to Blick in Switzerland who interviewed the midfielder ahead of the Euros and then delivered some interesting information.