The move has been in the works for several weeks, with Bayer Leverkusen sporting director Simon Rolfes commenting on the deal in a recent interview. Rolfes stated that a decision on Xhaka's transfer would be made this week, and that the player's side is aware of the conditions under which a transfer is possible.

Leverkusen manager Erik ten Hag has expressed his desire to keep Xhaka, but it seems that the player is eager to return to the Premier League, where he will face his former team Arsenal in early November. With Xhaka's departure, Leverkusen will now need to scout the transfer market to find a suitable replacement, which may be a challenging task given the limited options and time available as the season approaches.