You don't get a second chance at first impressions.
Swiss midfielder Granit Xhaka - recognisable as one of the eleven disinterested Swiss men that slumbered their way through an Aviva friendly in March - has been strongly linked with a move to the Premier League this year, with Arsenal and Liverpool mentioned as potential destinations.
The former option is now a reality: Xhaka has signed with Arsenal. Not that this news has been broken by the Arsenal website. Nope, the official announcement has been upstaged, as images of Xhaka's modelling an Arsenal shirt were leaked online:
Great work from Arsenal bringing in Granit Xhaka before the Euros. He'll add some much-needed steel to the midfield. pic.twitter.com/WfCqOiAbmt
— Chris Wheatley (@ChrisWheatley_) May 21, 2016
Looks like it's "getting closer" 😉 https://t.co/nDApsLQkCt
— Jan Aage Fjørtoft 🏳️🌈 🇳🇴 💛💙 (@JanAageFjortoft) May 21, 2016
The images were reportedly leaked online by Xhaka's girlfriend, and Arsenal are said to be a bit annoyed by the leaking of the images:
Not a great start, then, to piss off your bosses on your first day. That said, if Xhaka performs to the level he is capable of, Arsenal will not be long forgiving him. Xhaka is a tenacious defensive midfielder who is as comfortable on the ball as he is furiously hunting it down.
Expectation is understandably high, then for a defensive midfielder called Granit.
