Granit Xhaka offered Arsenal escape route by Hertha Berlin after telling team-mates he wants transfer

HERTHA BERLIN are interested in offering Granit Xhaka an Arsenal escape route, according to reports.

The 27-year-old has informed his team-mates that he wants to leave the Gunners - having endured a turbulent spell at the Emirates.

The Swiss international has recently returned to the first-team fold - having been dropped for a month and stripped of the captaincy after his infamous "f*** off" rant against Crystal Palace in October.

But according to , Arsenal will let Xhaka go in January for somewhere between £17million and £25million.

A loan with an option to buy is also thought to be an option.

Hertha had a tricky start to the Bundesliga season, but their form has picked up recently under the guidance of their new manager - former Tottenham striker Jurgen Klinsmann.

Their recent run of seven points from their last three games has seen them climb away from the relegation places to 13th place.

New boss Klinsmann is keen on signing a midfielder - with former Borussia Monchengladbach enforcer Xhaka fitting the bill.

The Gunners are set to appoint another former captain of theirs Mikel Arteta as new manager.

But it appears Xhaka will not be sticking around under his new manager for long.

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And he's likely not to be the only one, with star strikers Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette reportedly desperate to follow Xhaka out the door.

And Aubameyang's brother even revealed his disdain for the Arteta appointment on Instagram.

Commenting on an AFTV post that suggests Arteta will be announced, he replied: “Ljungberg Arteta is the same, no experiance [sic]”.