Arsenal are in talks with key player for two-year contract extension - Reports

According to Football Insider, Arsenal are in talks with Granit Xhaka for a two-year extension of his contract. Xhaka is currently contracted until the end of the 2023-24 season. The Gunners, however, are interested in extending the 30-year-old midfielder's contract for two more years.

Xhaka has been one of the Premier League's best players this season. His form has been decisive in helping the Gunners capture the top spot in the Premier League table.

Xhaka has scored four goals and has provided five assists in 32 matches this campaign. Along with Thomas Partey and Martin Odegaard, he has been omnipresent in the middle of the pitch for Mikel Arteta's team.

Hence, it is understandable that Arsenal want to extend the midfielder's stay at the club beyond the expiration of his current deal.

The Swiss player joined the Gunners back in 2018 and has since made 282 appearances for the club, scoring 18 goals and providing 27 assists.

His presence in north London, however, hasn't always been as beneficial as the current situation. The midfielder was criticized by his own fans on one occasion and gave up the captaincy as a result.

Xhaka has made a remarkable turnaround in his career and has re-established himself as a fan favorite at the Emirates.

Mikel Arteta reacted to Arsenal's away form

Arsenal have been in great form on the road this season. They have won nine out of their 12 away matches, losing two and drawing one. The Gunners have emerged winners in their last two away matches.

The latest win came against Leicester City at the King Power Stadium as Gabriel Martinelli fired the league leaders to a 1-0 win. Speaking about his team's away form, Arteta told the media after the match (via the Gunners' official website):

"Really important obviously, it creates more belief, more belief in the players, more belief around our club, and externally, I had full faith the players could do it, it was coming back to some basics and some details that can get games away from us, we made it much more than what we got. In the last two games, especially today, we’ve done those things much better."

The Gunners will return to action on 1 February as they host Everton in a league match. Sean Syche's team, along with Erik ten Hag's Manchester United, have defeated Arteta's lot away from home.