Granit Xhaka is perfectly suited to Italian football as he closes in on a transfer to AS Roma.
That's the view of former Arsenal midfielder Ray Parlour, who believes Xhaka's style of play will fit the Serie A more than it does the Premier League.
football.london understands that a move to Jose Mourinho's Roma side is close, but the two clubs are yet to reach an agreement over the fee for the Swiss international.
Xhaka has had an up and down time at the Gunners since signing in 2016, but has always been a staple under whichever manager he has played under.
The Switzerland international played a crucial part in his country's shock Euro 2020 Round of 16 victory over France earlier this week. The 28-year-old's passing ability was on display for all to see and Parlour has heaped praise on the Gunners midfielder.
“Like a quarter-back he was pinging balls all over the place, I’ve never seen him play so well," the former Arsenal man told gambling.com.
“He’s captain of Switzerland and you can see real desire in his face. He’s actually quite calm on the ball, not as mobile as you might like for a central midfielder, but then he has other players around him to do that work for him.
“Once he’s on the ball you know he can make a pass and he was certainly man of the match against France, which was the game of the tournament so far for me.
“Switzerland showed all the courage and guts you need to get back into a game when you fall behind. It was a brilliant game and Xhaka was sensational, they’re going to really miss him in the next game after picking up his second yellow card, which was a big blow to Switzerland.”
Parlour also went on to explain how a move to the Serie A would be the best thing for Xhaka to do as the style suits his game more.
“If he goes to Roma, I think Italy is perfect for him. It’s a slower game over there and you know Xhaka has got the passing ability to excel there," he said.
“Whether he goes or not, we’ll have to see. I’m sure Mikel Arteta is across the situation.
“Consistency is so important in midfield, you’ve got to be performing like that week in week out and at times he’s had poor games – like 4 out of 10 games – and you need a player who will guarantee you a 7, 8 or 9 every week, which is difficult to find.
“I think that’s why he hasn’t been able to replicate that Switzerland form for Arsenal, although he was much better last season to be fair to him. The pace of the Premier League is maybe just a little bit too much for him.”
