This is despite being under contract with current club Bayer Leverkusen until 2028, the move to whom came at the end of his seven-year spell with the Gunners
Xhaka signed for Basel as an 11-year-old, together with his brother Taulant, who bar one 2012/13 loan switch has played the entirety of his career with Basel
On Saturday it was Taulant’s final appearance for the newly-crowned Swiss champions before retirement at the age of 34. There was a huge commemoration in his honour attended by family members
That includes Arsenal’s former midfielder, 32, who took a microphone at St. Jakob-Park and announced: “I can tell you one thing: One Xhaka is leaving – but soon the other will be back.”
As reported by Sky Sports Germany, this action caused quite a stir amongst supporters who would be keen to be reunited with one of their national team’s biggest stars.
But it had to be dealt with smartly by club chiefs. Basel President David Degen subsequently stated: “We have never even addressed the issue before. At the point Granit is currently at in his career, it’s not appropriate.
Sporting director Daniel Stucki also added: “It’s nice that Granit speaks like that. But he had a great season with Bayer Leverkusen and still has a contract there that runs until 2028. I don’t think a return is realistic yet.”
Xhaka made 67 senior appearances for his boyhood club before leaving for Borussia Monchengladbach in 2012.
It was from there Arsenal bought him for £30m four years later. In North London he made 297 appearances, scoring 23 and assisting 29.
His time was tumultuous but ultimately successful, being part of two FA Cup-winning sides and the first phase of Mikel Arteta’s revolution.
He then moved on to Leverkusen for £21.4m, where in his first season he helped inspire an unbeaten German league and cup double.
