Arsenal got back to winning ways in the Premier League on Wednesday night, and there were several brilliant individual performances that will have pleased the Arsenal fans. One summer signing was particularly impressive…

Xhaka signed for Arsenal for £30million in the summer and he has divided opinion ever since. The Swiss international has endured a difficult season, often played out of position and his discipline or lack of it, has really damaged his reputation.

In this game though, the Swiss international was majestic in defensive midfield. With Mohammed Elneny alongside him, the former FC Basel pair controlled the game against West Ham.

Although he plays deep in midfield, he is a very creative player with a great eye for a long pass and he’s neat and tidy in his short passing. With Santi Cazorla out, Arsenal needed a midfielder to step up responsibility and become the controller in midfield, conducting the game.

Xhaka was never hiding from the ball and often positioned himself in useful areas of the pitch to be the outlet for his defenders when they were under pressure. He was the base of all of Arsenal’s attacking movements and disciplined in his defensive actions.

Here’s some statistics from his performance: In perhaps his best game in an Arsenal shirt to date, Xhaka completed a massive 120 passes with an 89.2% success rate. He attempted 13 long balls and was accurate with 9 of them. Defensively he was solid, making 4 tackles and 1 interception. Offensively he was influential, making 3 key passes, despite playing in the deepest midfield position.

Here’s some tweets showing how fans reacted to Xhaka’s performance against the Hammers.

Xhaka sent Noble back to Upton Park pic.twitter.com/ui3VqLpXmh

— Ahmed (@Ahmed91Gooner) April 5, 2017

Thought Granit Xhaka was excellent tonight. Some terrific passing and positioning. Good to see.

— gunnerblog (@gunnerblog) April 5, 2017

Much better from Arsenal tonight. Happy with Gabriel & Mustafi but most impressed by Xhaka who is beginning to purr. 3 very welcome points.

— FK³ (@fkhanage) April 5, 2017

It's amazing what Xhaka can do when he's not partnered with a brainless imbecile and left to do the work of two men. Elneny compliments him.

— TerryAFC (@TerryAFCx) April 5, 2017

Xhaka and ElNeny have been good, very positive play form them and quick build up.

— Dezil Dez (@DezilDezz) April 5, 2017

In my opinion, Xhaka is a top quality midfielder that Arsenal must build their midfield around. The club can no longer depend on Cazorla, who is becoming injury prone and moving into the latter years of his career.

He’s has addressed his attitude problem recently and has become much calmer and more reliable on the ball. Arsenal need this kind of performance from Xhaka for the remainder of the season if they are to be successful in the FA Cup and qualify for the Champions League for a 23rd consecutive year.

Jaap Stam has been linked with a move to West Ham this summer, with uncertainty growing over the future of Slaven Bilic at the club. Whilst West Ham have publically backed Bilic, poor results for the rest of the season would surely give the club no choice but to look at other managers.

Here’s a look at how the Hammers could line-up under Stam, who is having a fantastic season at Reading currently.

GK - Darren Randolph

Randolph has worked his way into the West Ham team ahead of Adrian and in my opinion, will keep his place in the West Ham team next season. He’s earned the right to play a full season as the Hammers keeper. He’s had some games to forget (Man City), but also some to remember (vs. Southampton and Bournemouth). West Ham would be better off spending their budget on other areas of the pitch and leave Adrian to compete with Randolph for the goalkeeper spot.

Manchester United have a lot of work to do under Jose Mourinho this summer and the Portuguese boss is preparing for another flurry of transfer window activity.

Amidst all the deals that could bring fresh faces to Old Trafford, Manchester United will also be wary of losing key assists to other top sides in Europe- and goalkeeper David De Gea is one player in particular they’ll have to fend off interest in.

The Spaniard continues to attract a wealth of interest from Zinedine Zidane’s Real Madrid but United have a back-up plan if he does seal a move to the Santiago Bernabeu, with The Manchester Evening News stating Jan Oblak is keen on a switch to the Premier League giants.

Conceding just 18 goals in La Liga last season, 24-year-old Oblak is widely regarded to be one of the best goalkeepers in the world but Manchester United would have to face a huge sum to land his signature- likely one that would eclipse the world-record fee paid for a goalkeeper, which currently stands at the £33m Juventus paid for Gianluigi Buffon in 2001.

Money is not a problem for United though and the comments from a source close to the player will give the Red Devils a real boost if they elect to pursue Oblak’s signature.

What’s been said?

A source told The Manchester Evening News:

“I think for every player it is an honour to come to the UK and play for clubs like this one. A lot of top clubs from Europe wants the best goalkeeper in the world. In the UK, there are three of them who show an interest regarding Jan Oblak.”

“If De Gea goes back to Spain, everything is possible.”

How expensive would a deal be?

With a release-clause of £85m, and with Atletico Madrid having no intention to sell, securing Jan Oblak’s signature may be difficult. However, Atleti are set for a summer of change as they leave the Vicente Calderon and they could lose the services of key-men like Antoine Griezmann.

Oblak is close to both Griezmann and Jose Gimenez, both of whom have been linked with a move to Manchester United, and he may feel this summer is the right time to leave Atletico- with Real Madrid and Barcelona halting their rise in Spanish football.

On the continent, Atletico are going strong and are set to face Leicester City in the quarter-finals of the Champions League but the Spaniards have lost in the final in two of the last three seasons, so Oblak may feel his best chance of continental glory lies elsewhere.

That said, Manchester United may not be able to offer Champions League football and that could throw a spanner in the works of any potential deal.

Chelsea have stormed through the Premier League campaign this season but Antonio Conte is set to make significant changes in the summer transfer window to bolster his squad ahead of their return to the Champions League.

One area the Blues are focusing on strengthening is at right-back, with The Daily Mirror stating Conte’s side have identified two prime-targets to bolster the squad; Atalanta’s Andrea Conti and Hoffenheim’s Jeremy Toljan.

Chelsea scouts have watched the pair recently, keeping tabs on Conti during Atalanta’s 5-0 victory over Genoa at the weekend, where he scored the opening goal, whilst German U21 international Toljan was watched against England and Portugal during the international break.

Conte has eyed Toljan since his days as Juventus manager and Conti has risen up his wish-list with his performances this season.

Who’s more likely to move?

Both Toljan and Conti could be on the market this summer as they seek to give themselves a chance of featuring for Italy and Germany respectively at the World Cup next summer but the signature of Conti from Atalanta could be easier to secure.

Sat third in the Bundesliga standing, eight points above fifth-place, Hoffenheim are on-course for Champions League football next season and Toljan, who has risen through the youth ranks at the club, may be keen to be a part of that historic campaign.

The German outlet have never played in Europe, having only secured a place in the Bundesliga in 2008, so the youngster is set to achieve something that the squad has never accomplished before.

Atalanta, meanwhile, sit fifth in Serie A but are six points behind Napoli and the Champions League places. Europa League football for the club is a great achievement but the prospect of playing in Europe’s elite tier with Chelsea could be too difficult to turn down.

How much would they cost?

TransferMarkt values Andrea Conti at around £5.1m, whilst Toljan is valued at the low price of £2.98m. However, Chelsea would have to pay well over those figures to secure either player as the selling club holds a strong negotiating position.

Conti is tied down with Atalanta until 2021 but Toljan’s contract is due to expire in 2018, which means Chelsea could swoop and secure the player for a smaller fee this summer. As mentioned though, he may opt to extend his deal and stay with Hoffenheim for their upcoming Champions League adventure.

Chelsea surge towards Premier League glory was halted by Crystal Palace at the weekend and there’s a real danger that they could concede their advantage in the league standings over the coming weeks.

The Blues hold a seven point advantage over Tottenham Hotspur heading into the midweek Premier League fixtures and that could be cut to just four points by the end of play tomorrow, should Chelsea lose to Manchester City and Spurs beat Swansea.

Antonio Conte’s side need to treat the defeat to Crystal Palace as a wake-up call and make sufficient alterations to their side as a result, to ensure the squad is kept fresh and, crucially, doesn’t get complacent as we approach the latter end of the season.

With a few tweaks to the side that lost to Palace at the weekend, Chelsea can return to winning ways against Pep Guardiola’s side. Here, we’ve selected the ideal XI to tackle the Citizens.

GK: Thibaut Courtois

The Belgian goalkeeper has been an ever-present figure for the Blues this season, playing all 29 games of the Blues charge to the top of the Premier League. During that time, he’s conceded just 23 goals- a number only Tottenham Hotspur (21) can better.

With 13 clean-sheets, the highest in the league, Courtois has been an important member of a Chelsea defence that has been extremely difficult to break down. They’ll need him to be at his best against Manchester City, who have scored 56 goals this season.

Liverpool enjoyed a good weekend last time out, as the Reds beat Everton in the Merseyside derby and saw Manchester United, Manchester City and Arsenal all drop points.

The Reds therefore maintained third spot in the Premier League standings and have their hopes of Champions League football in their own hands, as they can keep in the top-four even if their rivals win their games in hand.

Having secured four points from clashes against Manchester City and Everton, Jurgen Klopp’s side are now preparing for a favourable run-in to the season but they’ll need to improve, having struggled against lower-end opposition this season.

On Wednesday, Liverpool host a Bournemouth side who defeated them on the South Coast earlier this season and the Reds will be keen on revenge. With Manchester United and Manchester City both facing stern tests this midweek, it’s an opportunity for Liverpool to strengthen their grip on a Champions League place.

Here, we’ve selected the Liverpool XI that Klopp should select to overcome the threat of the Cherries.

GK: Simon Mignolet

Liverpool’s goalkeeping ranks are the weakest section of their squad but Simon Mignolet has managed to retain his spot as number one despite the summer signing of Loris Karius. Whilst the situation may change in the summer, Mignolet should definitely start against Bournemouth.

The Belgian has started 20 games for Liverpool in the Premier League this season and needs to show the best of his ability if the Reds are to retain their spot amongst the top-four. That means cutting out the mishaps that have plagued him during his time in Anfield but he has the capability to do that.

Arsenal face a difficult summer ahead of them as the Gunners risk missing out on Champions League football, whilst there could also be a wealth of departures from the first-team.

Amongst the stars tipped to move away from the Emirates Stadium this summer is two-time Copa America winner Alexis Sanchez, who is rapidly approaching the final 12 months of his contract with the Gunners and seems increasingly unlikely to pen a new deal.

His situation has attracted a wealth of interest in his services and French outlet RMC Sport has stated Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain have opened negotiations with the Chilean, whilst The Daily Telegraph adds Alexis would prefer a move to Stamford Bridge.

Naturally, Arsenal would prefer not to sell to a Premier League rival but Alexis’ contract situation does not put them in a strong bargaining position and any reluctance to sell could leave the door open for the 28-year-old to leave on a free transfer next summer.

Who leads the battle?

As mentioned, Chelsea are keen to bring Alexis Sanchez across London and the Chilean prefers a move to Stamford Bridge. However, the Blues’ strong rivalry with Arsenal makes a deal unlikely- and the same can be said for Manchester City.

In Europe, the likes of Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Milan have been linked with the Chilean’s signature, whilst there has also been a mention of interest from Sevilla, but Alexis’ likely demands for Champions League football could rule Inter out of the race.

That would leave Juventus and PSG as the big-hitters for Alexis’ signature and a move to the French capital would seem more likely, as the oil-rich club have far more weight to throw about in the transfer market than their Turin counterparts.

Is there any chance of Alexis staying?

Alexis Sanchez could still stay at Arsenal but his decision is unlikely to come down to money and will instead to built around what he believes he can achieve with a transfer. If he were to stay in North London, Arsenal would need to show significant improvements.

Finishing the season strongly would be unlikely to be enough to convince Alexis to stay and they’d have to show the Chilean they’re determined to turn things around- which could involve a major squad overhaul, replacing Arsene Wenger or going all-out in the transfer market.

Arsenal spent over £110m last summer but don’t have too much to show for it performance wise, so any persuasion on the transfer front would likely come from the calibre of players signed rather than the money spent.

Liverpool have made good progress under the guidance of Jurgen Klopp but there is still a lot of work to be done if the Reds are to end their long wait for league glory.

Klopp’s side are likely to be very active in the transfer market this summer and the Reds are eyeing top-quality youngsters to bolster their ranks, with a specific focus on midfielders. Having seen long-term target Mahmoud Dahoud seal a move to Borussia Dortmund, the Merseyside outfit will be keen to identify an alternative option.

The Reds will have therefore been worried by suggestions that Julian Brandt had agreed a move from Bayer Leverkusen to Bayern Munich but The Liverpool Echo reports that the German ace’s father has denied such an agreement exists, leaving the Reds still pursuing a deal.

A clause in Brandt’s contract indicates he can move for just €12.5m in the summer of 2018 but his father, who also acts as his agent, disputed the claim that a deal worth that figure was in place for the upcoming summer window.

What was said?

Speaking to Kicker and quoted by The Liverpool Echo, Jurgen Brandt said:

“It is fake news that Julian has agreed terms with Bayern. Julian has never been in the situation where he had to - or wanted to - make a decision on his future.”

However, he did admit interest in his client was high. In comments made to Sky Deutchsland, he said:

“There isn’t any trend nor any agreement. Julian will speak to Leverkusen about the season and his future in the summer. There have been enquiries from Bayern as well as others - but only to me. I collect these but there’s nothing concrete yet.”

“Julian hasn’t made any decision as to his future yet. He hasn’t spoken with any of those responsible at Bayern such as (Karl-Heinz) Rummenigge, (Uli) Hoeness or (Michael) Reschke, nor has he spoken to (Carlo) Ancelotti.”

Can Liverpool do a deal?

Regardless of whether a deal with Bayern Munich has been agreed yet, Liverpool will still face a huge test to land Brandt’s signature- especially as German players have a strong record of making transfers to other Bundesliga sides.

With Bayern Munich also losing the services of veteran midfielder Xabi Alonso this summer to retirement, the Bavarian giants have a hole in their midfield to fill and Brandt could be the ideal fit. Moving to the Allianz Arena could also bolster his chances of making Germany’s World Cup squad next summer and that may play into a decision.

For Liverpool, securing a Champions League finish will be decisive to any hope they have of landing Brandt’s signature and Jurgen Klopp will have a lot of work to do to demonstrate Liverpool are a side capable of going toe-to-toe with Europe’s elite.

Arsenal and Manchester United could look to swoop and secure the signature of a Leicester City ace this summer, with the Foxes fearful they’ll have to fend-off interest in their midfielder.

Wilfred Ndidi only arrived at the King Power Stadium in January, for a fee around £17m, but the Foxes are concerned he could jump ship in the summer as both Arsenal and Manchester United eye a move, as reported by The Daily Mirror.

Signed by the Foxes to fill the void left by N’Golo Kante’s summer move to Premier League leaders Chelsea, Ndidi has impressed and the 20-year-old, who snubbed interest from Arsenal last summer, could find himself on the move again.

Where would he fit in?

Both Manchester United and Arsenal are seeking midfield improvements this summer and both Premier League giants face the prospect of replacing long-serving members of their squad in the not-too-distant future.

The Red Devils are likely to wave goodbye to Michael Carrick at the end of the season and need a combative midfielder to fill that void, whilst Arsenal continue to seek a long-term replacement for Santi Cazorla.

Whilst Ndidi isn’t comparable to Cazorla, the Gunners would certainly benefit from additional strength in the midfield and a partnership alongside Granit Xhaka could give the North London side the catalyst to build success upon.

Could he stay?

Having only recently signed for Leicester, he could elect to stay with the Foxes. However, the defending Premier League champions face an uncertain future after slipping down the table this season and it’s unclear where their long-term status lies.

Nigerian ace Ndidi, who has been capped six times by his national side, will have aspirations of representing the African team in next summer’s World Cup but his nation still face a battle to get through the qualifying stages- although they’ve taken maximum points from their two matches in Round 3 so far.

Should Ndidi seal a move and play in European competition, his chances of making Nigeria’s squad would be significantly boosted and that could play into any decision he makes.

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Arsenal are set for major changes this summer and a host of big-names could leave the Emirates Stadium amongst a squad overhaul.

Whilst the Gunners have been public in their desire to keep 25-year-old Jack Wilshere, the England international is rapidly approaching the final 12 months of his contract and is seeking first-team assurances before he puts pen-to-paper on an extension.

Having struggled during recent years with a wealth of injury problems, Wilshere has impressed on-loan with Bournemouth and Cherries boss Eddie Howe has confirmed he’d like to sign the midfielder on a permanent deal this summer.

However, interest in the Arsenal academy graduate is high and Wilshere’s signature this summer could fetch a premium price.

What’s been said?

Quoted by The Telegraph, Howe said after the weekend’s goalless draw with Southampton:

“I’ve always said we would love to sign him. But that decision will rest with Arsenal. He’s played so many games. This is just a little spell where he’s been out of the team but he’s still coming on to great effect.”

Is Bournemouth the right fit?

Jack Wilshere may have found his feet in Bournemouth but moving to the Cherries on a permanent basis could effect his chances of making the England squad next summer, where Wilshere will aim to represent the Three Lions at the World Cup.

Moving to a bigger side may end up being the best course of action for Wilshere and he has options ahead of him, with The Sun stating this weekend that West Ham will offer £30m to Arsenal and give the midfielder the opportunity of remaining in London.

Wilshere could also have the option to move abroad, with The Daily Mail stating last month he’s open to a move to AC Milan- where he’d follow in the footsteps of former England captain David Beckham, who spent successful loan spells in Italy with the club.