Djourou compares Xhaka to Pirlo

Posted Thursday, May 26, 2016 by foxsportsasia.com

Djourou compares Xhaka to Pirlo
Former Arsenal defender Johan Djourou has likened the Gunners' new signing Granit Xhaka to Italian legend Andrea Pirlo.

Arsenal on Wednesday confirmed the signing of the Switzerland international from Mönchengladbach for a fee estimated to be in the region of £30 million.

The 23-year-old was named in the Bundesliga team of the season after a successful campaign with Gladbach, making over 30 appearances to help the club finish fourth in the Bundesliga standings.

"Granit is a great ball player," Djourou told The Mirror. "The guy has a magical left foot. He can ping the ball all over the place. He is a strong tackler – he is very hard going into tackles – and overall he is a very, very, very good player.

"He can see a pass. He can tackle, he can assist. I would say, if I am being honest, there is a little bit of a Pirlo about him, just in terms of the precision that he plays the ball with. Granit can play those types of ball.

"He can come and get the ball and ping it 40 yards onto your feet. He is that kind of player, but with more physicality to his game. It is hard to give a perfect description but I would say he has a bit of Pirlo about him."