Danny Murphy makes concerned claim about new Arsenal signing

Danny Murphy has questioned the defensive capabilities of new Arsenal signing Granit Xhaka.

The Switzerland international became Arsene Wenger’s first signing of the summer transfer window last month after Arsenal concluded a reported £33m deal to sign the midfielder from Borussia Monchengladbach.

Xhaka, who put pen to paper on a five-year deal with the Gunners, has impressed for the Bundesliga side over the past couple of seasons, helping them to qualify for the Champions League.

The 23-year-old has played in all three of Switzerland’s Euro 2016 group games so far against Albania, Romania and hosts France as Xhaka and his team-mates finished in second place in Group A.

However, former Liverpool and Tottenham midfielder Murphy expressed his concerns over Xhaka following the midfielder’s big-money transfer to the Emirates Stadium last month.

“I think he looks an Arsenal type player,” Murphy told BBC Sport.

“My only concern is his defensive abilities. He’s not a super athlete and he’s not someone who will get at you and close you down. But from a footballing perspective, he’s very good.”

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Arsenal finished in second place in the Premier League table last season ahead of their bitter rivals Tottenham Hotspur.