Granit Xhaka informs Arsenal teammates of his desire to join the Bundesliga.

Granit Xhaka, an Arsenal midfielder, has revealed to his teammates that he wants to return to Germany.

The Switzerland captain joined Arsenal from Borussia Monchengladbach in 2016 for about £34 million.

Xhaka has had ups and downs at the Emirates, and he has twice been on the verge of returning to Germany.

Following Mikel Arteta’s hiring, the midfielder was keen to join Hertha Berlin in 2020, but the Spaniard persuaded the Swiss to stay.

Xhaka has improved his situation at the club and has been in excellent form for the Gunners this season.

Xhaka, on the other hand, has only 14 months left on his contract in north London and is eager to return home.Bayer Leverkusen have expressed interest in Xhaka, and GOAL reports that he has told team-mates that he wants to return to Germany.

The Bundesliga club would rather wait until 2024 to sign a pre-contract agreement with Xhaka than pay a fee for him this summer.Arteta, on the other hand, wants to maintain Xhaka because he likes his leadership and versatility in midfield.

Arsenal, on the other hand, are interested in signing West Ham captain Declan Rice this summer, which would limit Xhaka’s playing time.

Rice is valued at roughly £120 million by West Ham, but closer to £70 million by Arsenal.

The Switzerland international has now spent seven years in England – by far the longest he has stayed at one club in his career. Before joining Arsenal, he enjoyed a fruitful four-year stint with Bundesliga club Borussia Monchengladbach.

Replacing Xhaka would likely take significantly more investment than the touted £13m windfall. West Ham captain Declan Rice and Brighton youngster Moises Caicedo are among the midfielders linked to the Emirates Stadium, although both are expected to cost around the £100m mark.

Manager Xabi Alonso is currently in charge of an exciting project at Leverkusen, having turned around their torrid start to the season. The Liverpool legend’s team are currently sixth in the table and fancied by many to win the Europa League.

Regardless of what happens in the summer, Xhaka is poised to play an integral role for Arsenal over the final three games of the campaign. Arteta’s side are currently one point behind Manchester City, having played a game more, with Brighton set to visit north London on Sunday afternoon.