Arsenal and Liverpool get transfer boost as Borussia Monchengladbach star confirms exit

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Arsenal and Liverpool have received a huge boost transfer boost as Borussia Monchengladbach have confirmed star Denis Zakaria will not extend his contract. The Switzerland international’s deal with Adi Hutter’s side expires at the end of the season, meaning he will be able to leave on a free transfer from July 1, 2022.

His decision was made after Monchengladbach sporting director Max Eberl demanded the Bundesliga giants’ stars to make up their mind regarding their future.

However, Zakaria’s agent confirmed he has no intention of committing his future to the club, which will give Mikel Arteta and Jurgen Klopp renewed hope of signing the midfielder.

“I already contacted his agent before Christmas and said that we would be planning without him from the summer at the latest,” Eberl said in a statement released by the club.

Zakaria’s commanding displays from the engine room have seen him emerge as one of the finest central midfielders in the Bundesliga.

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He can play as an advanced or defensive midfielder, while he has also filled in as an emergency central defender when injuries and suspensions have plagued Monchengladbach.

And it was these qualities, as well as his football intelligence and passing range which has seen him appear on the transfer radar of Liverpool and Arsenal.

While the current consensus between Zakaria and Monchengladbach is that the 25-year-old will see out the remainder of his contract, Klopp and Arteta may not be able to wait that long.

Thiago Alcantara’s injury has left Klopp with yet another injury exodus in the midfield area, while the void vacated by Georginio Wijnaldum remains unfilled since he departed the club for Paris Saint-Germain in the summer.

Meanwhile, Arteta would benefit immensely if he was able to add Zakaria’s experience and skill to his midfield.

The Gunners are enjoying a fine run of four consecutive Premier League matches, yet their squad depth is not as vast as the likes of Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, and Manchester United.

Thomas Partey and Granit Xhaka have reunited to form a rock-solid understanding and partnership.

But Partey’s time at the Gunners has been cursed by injuries, while Xhaka’s Arsenal career is littered with inconsistency, indiscipline, and his fair share of injuries.

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Albert Sambi Lokonga has impressed since his move in the summer, but Arteta may favour a player of Zakaria’s experience if Arsenal are to stay in the top four.

While Sambi Lokonga may have been part of an enormous £150m spending spree in the summer, Arsenal still have some spending money left in their war chest.

The Gunners will have an extra £15m made available to them when Lucas Torreira’s move to Fiorentina is secured at the end of his loan deal this summer.

Reports from SportBild have claimed Zakaria could be available for as little as £7m in January, as a result of his contractual situation.

Having gained clarification on Zakaria’s future, Monchengladbach could be tempted to extract a transfer fee out of their wantaway player.

While a player of his quality would have likely commanded a more significant fee in normal circumstances, £7m would represent a sizeable return for a player who cost around £360,000 when they bought him from Young Boys in 2017.

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