Arsenal transfer rumours: Gunners close to securing Granit Xhaka move after lodging €43m offer

Arsenal are closing in on their first summer transfer after making an official offer for Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder Granit Xhaka. The Swiss midfielder has been a priority target for the Gunners since the January transfer window and it looks like Arsene Wenger has made his move early to secure his signature ahead of other interested clubs.

According to German publication Rheinische Post, the north London club have submitted an official offer of around €43m (£33.8m, $49m) with added performance related bonuses to bring the Switzerland international to the Emirates Stadium ahead of next season. Xhaka has been linked with a move away in the summer despite being contracted to the Bundesliga club until 2019 and recently revealed he will sit down and talk to the club if an official offer is made.

The 23-year-old midfielder has admitted in the recent past that playing in the Premier League is a childhood dream and is unlikely to turn down an offer from the Gunners, especially with the north Londoners needing just a point from their last game to guarantee direct entry to the group stages of the Champions League. According to ESPN FC, the north Londoners are confident they can beat Liverpool, who have also been credited with interest in signing the midfielder.

Wenger is likely to make strengthening the Arsenal midfield his main priority after injuries to key midfielders during the course of the campaign derailed the Gunners' title challenge. Moreover, Mikel Arteta, Mathieu Flamini and Tomas Rosicky are expected to depart in the summer following the expiry of their contracts and the French manager will need to bring in replacements.

The report claims that an agreement between the two clubs for Xhaka's transfer could be imminent with Monchengladbach already having identified a replacement for their captain. A separate Rheinische Post report believes that they will make a move for Bayern Munich's out-of-favour midfielder Sebastian Rode if the Swiss midfielder agrees a move to Arsenal.