Arsenal could reportedly demand a higher fee from Bayer Leverkusen if they are to let Granit Xhaka depart in the current transfer window.
For the past few weeks, the Switzerland international has been expected to end his turbulent time in North London with a £13m transfer to Xabi Alonso's side.
Xhaka's proposed return to the Bundesliga was reportedly on hold until the Gunners signed a replacement, and Mikel Arteta's side bolstered their midfield ranks with the signing of Kai Havertz for £65m last week.
Havertz's arrival would seemingly open the door for Xhaka to complete his exit, but the 30-year-old remains on the books in North London, where he is under contract until the end of next season.
Arteta peculiarly played down reports claiming that Xhaka had agreed a move away before the end of the season, and the midfielder also remained coy on his future when asked by fans following their final-day win over Wolverhampton Wanderers.
© Reuters
However, the former Borussia Monchengladbach man hinted on social media that the visit of Wolves would be his final game for the Gunners, who are undergoing a midfield refresh ahead of the new season.
While Xhaka's anticipated transfer to Leverkusen is expected to go through, The Mirror claims that Arsenal may increase their asking price from £13m to as much as £20m.
Leverkusen and Xhaka have reportedly agreed terms on a four-year contract, and Arsenal supposedly feel that the long-term deal should lead to a higher fee being paid for his services.
Whether the Gunners will continue to stand firm on their valuation remains to be seen, as Arteta is keen to cut a plethora of unwanted players from the ranks this summer, but he remains a big fan of Xhaka.
The Switzerland captain's Arsenal career appeared to be dead in the water in 2019, as he reacted angrily to boos from the home crowd while being substituted in a 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace, swearing and taking off his shirt before storming down the tunnel.
© Reuters
Xhaka was stripped of the captaincy by former manager Unai Emery, but Arteta convinced him to continue upon his arrival in 2020, and he has since enjoyed an unexpected revival in the first team.
The Swiss lynchpin starred during the 2022-23 season with nine goals and seven assists in 47 games across all tournaments, netting seven times in the Premier League as Arsenal achieved a second-placed finish.
In what could prove to be his final game for the club, Xhaka scored twice in the 5-0 final-day thrashing of Wolves, taking his total for Arsenal to 23 goals and 29 assists from 297 matches.
The 30-year-old has won two FA Cups and two Community Shield titles with Arsenal, who are also hopeful of finalising a £105m deal for West Ham United's Declan Rice on Monday.
Xhaka could be joined in the departure lounge by Thomas Partey and Albert Sambi Lokonga, with the former on the radar of Juventus and clubs in Saudi Arabia, while a switch to Burnley has been mooted for Lokonga.
