New Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has been handed a blow ahead of the January transfer window as the agent of Granit Xhaka has confirmed that an agreement is in place with Hertha Berlin.
Xhaka's future at the Emirates Stadium looked to be over following a fallout with the supporters, who he swore at earlier in the campaign, but Arteta's arrival handed the Switzerland international a new lease of life.
The former Borussia Monchengladbach man was named in the starting line-up for Arteta's first game in charge, while the Spaniard also admitted he is a big fan of the player and pushed for Manchester City to sign him during his time as Pep Guardiola's assistant.
That opened the door for Xhaka to become a key player in North London during Arteta's reign but his agent, Jose Noguera, confirmed an agreement is in place for a return to German football.
"Look, I will say it frankly and honestly, we are in agreement with Hertha BSC and would like to go to Berlin," he told Blick.
"We have told Arsenal’s club boss Raul Sanllehi and sporting director Edu Gaspar, as well as the new coach Mikel Arteta. Arsenal was informed about all the steps, the player and Hertha are clear. ‘It’s only about the transfer fee of the clubs."
The report adds that the Bundesliga side have lodged a fee of around £21.3m for Xhaka's services, which would hand Arsenal a loss of £8.7m on the fee they paid back in 2016.
