CONFIRMED;Rio Ferdinand welcomes Jose Mourinho to Manchester United

Rio Ferdinand has paid tribute to Manchester United for appointing Jose Mourinho as their manager.

Ferdinand, who made 312 appearances for United between 2002 and 2014, has taken to his Facebook account to praise his former club for appointing Mourinho.

United appoint Mourinho

Jose Mourinho has been confirmed as Manchester United's new manager.

He posted: "Congratulations to Jose on being announced manager of the biggest club in the world! 

UEFA Champions League,Tomorrow, 21:45pm

Real Madrid v Atletico Madrid

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10+ match corners and 50+ booking pts

1 / 1

Under 2.5 Goals, 10+ match corners and 35+ booking pts

11 / 8

Each team to take 4+ corners and each team to get 20+ booking pts

13 / 8

BTTS, 8+ match corners and 40+ booking pts

7 / 4

A goal scored in each half

1 / 1

Over 1.5 Goals, 9+ match corners and 30+ booking pts

1 / 1

Atletico to score a goal and take 4+ corners

6 / 5

Gabi and Diego Godin both to be carded

11 / 4

Sergio Ramos and Gabi both to be carded

5 / 2

Casemiro and Gabi both to be carded

5 / 2

5+ Real Madrid corners and Ramos to be carded

5 / 2

5+ corners in each half

5 / 2

Under 3.5 goals, 9+ match corners and each team to get 30+ booking pts

5 / 2

Gabi and Saul Niguez both to be carded

10 / 3

Atletico to keep a clean sheet and 50+ match booking pts

10 / 3

Each team to take 5+ corners and each team to get 20+ booking pts

10 / 3

Each team to take 4+ corners and each team to get 30+ booking pts

7 / 2

Sergio Ramos and Diego Godin both to be carded

10 / 3

Pepe and Gabi both to be carded

10 / 3

Casemiro and Diego Godin both to be carded

10 / 3

Sergio Ramos and Casemiro both to be carded

3 / 1

Sergio Ramos and Juanfran both to be carded

9 / 2

Sergio Ramos and Saul Niguez both to be carded

4 / 1

Sergio Ramos and Pepe both to be carded

4 / 1

Pepe and Diego Godin both to be carded

4 / 1

7+ match corners, Ramos & Luis to be carded and 40+ booking pts

9 / 2

Diego Godin and Saul Niguez both to be carded

4 / 1

Casemiro and Saul Niguez both to be carded

4 / 1

Casemiro and Pepe both to be carded

4 / 1

Each team to score, each team to take 4+ corners and each team to get 20+ booking pts

9 / 2

Gabi and Juanfran both to be carded

4 / 1

Cristiano Ronaldo and Gabi both to be carded

11 / 2

Pepe and Saul Niguez both to be carded

5 / 1

Casemiro and Juanfran both to be carded

5 / 1

Diego Godin and Juanfran both to be carded

11 / 2

Atletico Madrid to win by exactly 1 goal, 50+ Booking points and 8+ Corners

6 / 1

Cristiano Ronaldo and Sergio Ramos both to be carded

13 / 2

A goal scored in each half and 5+ corners in each half

6 / 1

Saul Niguez and Juanfran both to be carded

6 / 1

Real to score 2+ goals and take 7+ corners

6 / 1

Pepe and Juanfran both to be carded

6 / 1

Under 1.5 goals, each team to take 4+ corners and each team to get 20+ booking pts

6 / 1

Cristiano Ronaldo and Diego Godin both to be carded

7 / 1

Cristiano Ronaldo and Casemiro both to be carded

7 / 1

Cristiano Ronaldo and Saul Niguez both to be carded

8 / 1

Cristiano Ronaldo and Pepe both to be carded

8 / 1

11+ match corners, Ramos & Godin to be carded and 60+ booking pts

8 / 1

Over 2.5 goals, 5+ corners in each half and 40+ match booking pts

8 / 1

Ronaldo to score, Over 2.5 Goals and 7+ Real corners

8 / 1

Bale & Griezmann to score, 7+ match corners and 30+ booking pts

9 / 1

Godin, Pepe & Luis to be carded

10 / 1

No goalscorer and 50+ booking pts

10 / 1

Under 2.5 Goals, 12+ match corners, Ramos to be carded and 60+ booking pts

10 / 1

Draw, BTTS, 11+ match corners and 50+ booking pts

10 / 1

A penalty awarded and a player sent off

10 / 1

Cristiano Ronaldo and Juanfran both to be carded

10 / 1

Ronaldo & Griezmann to score, 10+ match corners and 40+ booking pts

11 / 1

7+ corners in each half

11 / 1

Under 3.5 Goals and Ramos, Marcelo & Gabi to be carded

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Ronaldo to score, Under 12 corners and Gabi & Godin to be carded

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Ronaldo to score and Real to win 3-1

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Griezmann to score & be carded, Atletico to win and 8+ match corners

14 / 1

Griezmann to score and Atletico to win 2-1

16 / 1

Over 1.5 Goals, 9+ match corners and Ramos, Pepe & Godin to be carded

18 / 1

Draw, Under 2.5 goals, 8+ match corners and Ramos & Juanfran to be carded

20 / 1

No Goalscorer and a player sent off

22 / 1

Under 2.5 Goals, 10+ match corners and Ramos, Pepe & Godin to be carded

22 / 1

Ramos, Koke, Gabi & Luis to be carded

22 / 1

Ramos, Carvajal, Godin & Gimenez to be carded

25 / 1

Ramos, Godin, Gabi & Luis to be carded

25 / 1

Draw 0-0 & Atletico Madrid to Win on Penalties

25 / 1

Torres, Pepe, Gimenez & Gabi to be carded

28 / 1

Bale to score and Real to win 3-1

28 / 1

Bale to score, Real to win, 8+ match corners and Ramos & Koke to be carded

28 / 1

Ramos, Carvajal, Godin & Juanfran to be carded

28 / 1

Griezmann to score, 6+ Real corners and Ramos & Gimenez to be carded

28 / 1

No goalscorer, 10+ match corners and a player sent off

33 / 1

Draw and Ramos, Godin & Luis to be carded

33 / 1

Ronaldo & Griezmann to score, Atletico to lift the trophy and 80+ match booking pts

33 / 1

Griezmann to score, Atletico to win 2-0 and 50+ match booking pts

33 / 1

Griezmann to score, Atletico to win 2-1, 8+ match corners & 30+ booking pts

33 / 1

Under 2.5 Goals, 10+ match corners and Ramos, Carvajal, Godin & Gabi to be carded

40 / 1

Niguez to score, 11+ match corners and Ramos & Godin to be carded

40 / 1

Atletico to win, a penalty awarded and a player sent off

40 / 1

Ramos, Casemiro, Gabi, Gimenez & Luis to be carded

50 / 1

Atletico Madrid to win to nil, Ramos, Gabi & Filipe Luis to be carded and 8 or more corners

50 / 1

Atletico to lift the trophy and Ramos, Pepe, Godin & Luis to be carded

50 / 1

Bale to score and Torres, Koke & Gabi to be carded

50 / 1

No goalscorer and Ramos & Torres to be carded

50 / 1

Real to win, Over 2.5 goals, 10+ match corners and Modric & Godin to be carded

66 / 1

Ronaldo & Griezmann to score, 8+ match corners and Ramos, Luis & Gabi to be carded

66 / 1

Both teams to score in both halves, 11+ match corners and 50+ booking pts

66 / 1

No goalscorer and Ramos, Gabi & Luis to be carded

66 / 1

Gabi, Luis, Casemiro, Ramos & Koke to be carded

66 / 1

Ronaldo to score a hat-trick, Griezmann to score and Ramos to be carded

100 / 1

Ronaldo to score a header and to score from outside the penalty area

100 / 1

Ronaldo to score 2 or more, 8+ match corners and Ramos, Godin & Felipe Luis to be carded

100 / 1

Ramos & Koke to score, each team to take 4+ corners and 40+ match booking pts

125 / 1

Ronaldo to score, 12+ match corners and Ramos, Pepe, Godin & Luis to be carded

125 / 1

Bale & Torres both to score a header

125 / 1

Ramos & Godin to score

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Ronaldo & Griezmann to score and Ramos, Pepe, Gimenez & Gabi to be carded

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Modric, Danilo, Godin, Gimenez & Luis to be carded

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Griezmann to score, Atletico to win and Ramos, Pepe, Luis & Koke to be carded

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Ramos, Godin, Luis, Gabi, Casemiro & Torres to be carded

150 / 1

No goalscorer and no booking pts

200 / 1

No Goalscorer, Luke Modric UEFA Man of the Match and Filipe Luis 1st Player Carded

500 / 1

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"This is Jose Mourinho's most exciting and most challenging job yet.

"One thing I can tell Manchester United fans is that they have got themselves a true winner in all aspects. His CV shows success!"

Jose Mourinho has been appointed as the Manchester United manager

Ferdinand also insists Mourinho will be looking to turn fifth-placed Manchester United into a team capable of winning titles once again, despite being sacked by Chelsea on December 17 after a disappointing start to the season.

"After his recent unsuccessful time at Chelsea in the final year, I can assure you this winner is now a wounded animal which makes him such a mouthwatering appointment," Ferdinand explained.

"Jose went from winning the League Cup and Premier League to losing a dressing room at Chelsea and I am certain he will want to restore all of that very quick

"He will be desperate to silence the media who have been writing and saying negative things about him (he will have stored it all being the competitor he is) and will be as focused as ever.

"Mourinho's huge personality is made for this great club, it's what he has been waiting for. Wishing him all the best!"

Jaguar let cat out of the bag: Mourinho sponsors get in first with news that Portuguese boss has landed Manchester United job

Walking back to his London home on Thursday wearing his best Hugo Boss suit and clutching a bottle of red from Hedonism Wines in Mayfair, Jose Mourinho was content in the knowledge that he is the new manager of Manchester United. Bizarrely, Jaguar - one of Mourinho's sponsors - made the announcement before the club, who were forced to wait until trading started on the New York Stock Exchange where United are listedbut later deleted their tweet. United will officially confirm Mourinho as their new manager on Friday and will immediately go to work on bringing his transfer targets to Old Trafford.

ROAD TO SAN SIROO

Kuelekea fainali ya UEFA siku ya May 28 Real Madrid watakuwa wakijaribu kutwaa taji la 11 katika historia ya Ligi ya Mabingwa Ulaya wakati, Atletico watakuwa wakijaribu kulitwaa kwa mara ya kwanza mara baada ya kulikosa mara mbili wakifika hatua ya fainali.

Mbali ya kuwa katika jiji moja na kupambana kuwania taji la Ligi ya Mabingwa Ulaya, Real Madrid na Atletico Madrid wanatofautiana kwa vitu vingi sana.

Real Madrid ni klabu yenye fedha nyingi na yenye nguvu kubwa kiuchumi ambapo pia imejaza mastaa wenye majina makubwa ulimwenguni. Atletico kwa upande wao, ni klabu ambayo inapambana kutokana na nguvu zao wenyewe na kutafuta mafanikio kwa kutumia wachezaji ambao kamwe hawana majina makubwa ulimwenguni, wengi wao wakiwa hawajulikani.

Vilabu hivi viwili vinacheza staili mbili tofauti, vile vile wana ‘fan base’ mbili zenye nguvu tofauti.

Mtazamo wao tofauti kwenye mchezo wa Jumamosi utakaopigwa jijini Milan kwenye dimba la San Siro, ndiyo utakaoleta ladha nyingine tena nzuri kutokana na ushindani utakaokuwepo, ambapo bila ya kusahau ni miaka miwili tu imepita tangu wanaume hao wawili wakutane katika fainali ya michuano hii, na Real kushinda kwa kishindo katika muda wa ziada kwa magoli 4-1. Ndani ya dakika tisini walifungana bao 1-1.

“Mara zote katika hatua kama hii, uzoefu umekuwa ni kitu muhimu sana, na katika nyanja hiyo sisi tuna faida kubwa kidogo zaidi ya wenzetu”, Cristiano Ronaldo alisema katika moja ya mahojiano yake na waandishi. “Atletico watakuwa makini sana kutokana na kile kilichowatokea miaka miwili iliyopita tulipowafunga katika fainali. Watakuwa wakihitaji ushindi kwa namna yoyote na sisi tuko tayari kupambana.”

Tuchungulie kwa karibu utofauti uliopo kati ya klabu hizi mbili:

Historia

Wakati Real Madrid ni mabingwa mara nyingi zaidi kwenye ligi ya La Liga na UEFA, Atletico ndiyo kwanza wanaanza kupambana kuwa washindani halisi licha ya kutokuwa na kiwango cha fedha walau kinachokaribiana na Real ambao kwa sasa ndiyo wanaongoza kwa utajiri duniani.

Hii ni mara ya 14 kwa Real Madrid kuingia fainali huku wakilisaka taji lao la 11, wakati Atletico watakuwa wakilisaka taji lao la kwanza baada ya kulikosa katika fainali mbili ambazo ni mwaka 1974 dhidi Bayern Munich na 2014 dhidi ya Real.

“Huu ni mchezo muhimu sana kwetu, kwa faida ya klabu na mashabiki wetu”, anasema Diego Godin ambaye ni beki wa Atletico. “Tunafarijika sana kwa jinsi timu yetu inavyofanya kutokana na njia tuliyopitia. Tuna fursa nyingine ya kuhakikisha tunachukua taji hili safari hii.”

Safu ya ushambuliaji hatari ya Real Madrid ianyoongozwa Ronaldo, itakuwa na wakati mgumu pale itakapokuwa ikipana na ukuta mgumu wa Atletico ya Diego Simeone.

Real Madrid ni moja ya timu zenye safu hatari ya ushambuliaji ambayo imeweka kambani mabao 27, mabao matatu pungufu dhidi ya Bayern Munich. Atletico wamefunga mabao 16 ambayo ndiyo idadi ya mabao Ronaldo anayo mpaka sasa kwenye michuano ya UEFA.

“Tunataka kupata ushindi mnono siku ya Jumamosi, ambao ndiyo utatoa muelekeo wa timu yetu,” Ronaldo amesema. “Tunaamini kuwa tutafanikiwa juu ya hilo.”

Wachezaji

Wakiwa na nguvu kubwa ya pesa ya kusajili mchezaji yeyote ulimwenguni, Real Madrid ina wachezaji ghali kama Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Gareth Bale, Sergio Ramos pamoja na Marcelo.

Atletico, ambayo pengine pato lake ni nusu tu ya pato la mahasimu wao, watakuwa wakiwategemea washambulizi wao kama vile Fernando Torres na Antoine Griezmann, bila ya kusahau mabeki wao mkongwe Diego Godin na Filipe Luis.

Makocha

Zinedine Zidane, kiungo matata ambaye alishinda kombe la UEFA akiwa na Real Madrid mwaka 2002, anakuwa katika kibarua chake cha kwanza kama kocha wa Madrid kuiongoza Madrid kufika fainali baada ya kuchukua mikoba kwa mtangulizi wake Rafa Benitez. Diego Simeone, kiungo mkabaji wa zamani wa Argentina na Atletico, alikabidhiwa mikoba ya kuiona klabu hiyo mwaka 2012. Tangu hapo amekuwa ni mtu muhimu baada ya kuigeuza Atletico kuwa klabu ya watu wapambanaji, kitu ambacho ndiyo kipaumbele cha timu hiyo.

“Nina bahati kubwa ya kuwa hapa na kuishi vizuri na wachezaji pamoja na mashabiki,” Zidane amesema.

“Staili yetu ni kucheza na kuhakikisha kila mchezaji anajitolea mpaka kiwango chake cha mwisho,” Simeone amesema. “Kwangu mimi wachezaji ni watu muhimu sana wa kuamua matokea katika mchezo huo.”

Mashabiki

Real Madrid wana ‘fan base’ kubwa sana kuliko Atletico, na wanajulikana sana kwa kipaumbele chao cha kusaka mataji kuliko kitu chochote katika soka. Kwa upande mashabiki wa Atletico maarufu kama ‘colchoneros’ wao huwa wanasapoti timu yao bila kujali matokeo yakoje lakini mashabiki wa Real maarufu kama “Madridistas” ni watu wanatoa sapoti kubwa wakati timu ikiwa inafanya vizuri tu, lakini inapotokea timu haifanyi vizuri basi uwanja unawaka moto.

KUELEKEA FAINALI YAO

Zote kwa Real Madrid na Atletico wamefika hatua hii baada ya kumaliza kileleni kwenye makundi yao. Atletico walifanikiwa kuwang’oa PSV Eindhoven kwa mikwaju ya penati katika hatua ya 16 bora, wakawang’oa Barcelona kwa wastani wa mabao 3-2 vile vile Bayern Munich kwa goli la ugenini.

Real Madrid waliwatoa AS Roma kwa wastani wa mabao 4-0, baadaye Wolfsburg kwa wastani wa mabao 3-2 na kumalizia kwa Manchester City baada ya kuwafunga na kuwatoa nje kwa wastani wa bao 1-0 katika hatua ya nusu fainali.

Ronaldo hopes Man United can be special again: 'They lack identity and it hurts me... Mourinho can take them back to the top'

Cristiano Ronaldo has backed Manchester United's incoming manager Jose Mourinho to bring the good times back to the club with the Portuguese boss poised to be announced on Thursday. The Red Devils and Mourinho have been locked in negotiations following the sacking of Louis van Gaal but he is now expected to be unveiled as the new man in charge at Old Trafford. And Ronaldo, who spent six years in Manchester, hopes Mourinho can take the club back to the summit of world football and fix the club's underlying problems. 

Griezmann could leave Atletico Madrid this summer after it emerges he is 'listening to different clubs'

Antoine Griezmann has been one of Atletico Madrid's star men this season

The Frenchman scored 22 goals in La Liga as Atletico missed out on title

Manchester United and Chelsea are believed to be interested in Griezmann

The 25-year-old will lead the line for Atletico in the Champions League final

Antoine Griezmann could leave Atletico Madrid this summer after his agent said he was considering offers from a number of clubs.

The French forward has been a revelation for the Madrid outfit since joining from Real Sociedad in the summer of 2014 and has been linked with a move to the Premier League.

Griezmann scored 32 goals in 53 appearances for Diego Simeone's men this season and has blossomed into one of Europe's best strikers under the tutelage of the Argentine.

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Antoine Griezmann has been in superb form for Atletico Madrid and is highly admired by Europe's top clubs

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Griezmann (right) and fellow Atletico forward Fernando Torres prepare for Saturday's Champions League final 

Real Madrid's 'terrible twins': Ramos and Pepe are the bruisers at the back that give a hard edge alongside the beauty of Ronaldo

Trust Sergio Ramos to rise above the routine and the mundane at Real Madrid's media day this week and liken winning the Champions League to making love. He stopped short of going into full Swiss Tony mode ahead of Saturday's showdown, but when he was asked if winning his second European Cup would top the first time he said: 'The first time - it's like when you make love. You always remember it but it's true that you can get better because we are usually a disaster the first time. So the first time is special but I'm ambitious and optimistic and I want to keep topping up my curriculum with more trophies.'

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Ramos keeps a close eye on team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo (2nd left) during Tuesday's training session

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Real Madrid centre back Pepe addresses the media along with his manager Zinedine Zidane

REAL MADRID'S PATH TO FINAL 

Real Madrid 4-0 Shakhtar (group stage)

Malmo 0-2 Real Madrid (group stage)

PSG 0-0 Real Madrid (group stage)

Real Madrid 1-0 PSG (group stage)

Shakhtar 3-4 Real Madrid (group stage)

Real Madrid 8-0 Malmo (group stage)

Roma 0-2 Real Madrid (last 16)

Real Madrid 2-0 Roma (last 16)

Wolfsburg 2-0 Real Madrid (quarter-final)

Real Madrid 3-0 Wolfsburg (quarter-final)

Manchester City 0-0 Real Madrid (semi-final)

Real Madrid 1-0 Manchester City (semi-final) 

Pepe and Ramos have been superb in this tournament. Never mind the BBC - only two teams have scored against Madrid in the Champions League this season and their tally of five goals against is better than even Atletico Madrid.

For all that Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo will threaten Diego Simone’s side, he will know better than anyone that it’s the terrible twins at the other end of the pitch he needs to get past. 

Despite all the red cards and the occasional harebrained runs forward, Ramos remains one of the best central defenders in Europe. And despite his advancing years and being written off as yesterday’s man by Mourinho, Pepe is still Madrid’s first choice.

The pair have very little in common off the pitch although they shared a dislike for Mourinho in the Portuguese manager’s final throes and were united in preferring him not to be brought back after Rafa Benitez was sacked.

Both men also have had more than their fair share of critics. Ramos’s detractors say he can’t be trusted. He can’t be trusted to stay on the pitch – sent off more times than any other Real Madrid player. And he can’t be trusted to make the right positional decisions – in the Clasico he charged out towards Sergi Roberto and allowed Luis Suarez to run in behind 

Jose Mourinho would deliver exciting football at Man Utd - Paul Scholes

Jose Mourinho was sacked by Chelsea in December, seven months after guiding them to the Premier League title

Jose Mourinho will learn from Louis van Gaal's experience and deliver exciting football at Manchester United should he become manager, says club legend Paul Scholes.

Talks to bring Mourinho to Old Trafford have entered a second day.

Van Gaal was sacked on Monday, two days after winning the FA Cup.

"The fans at Man United demand entertaining football and I'm sure Mourinho will come and try and give it," said former midfielder Scholes.

Van Gaal led United to fifth place in the Premier League but was criticised for his lack of attacking football, with the team only scoring 49 league goals this season.

Scholes, who won 11 league titles and two Champions Leagues during a 20-year career at Old Trafford, was among Van Gaal's critics, claiming United were disjointed and played boring football under the 64-year-old.

He also questioned whether the former Netherlands, Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss really understood the "ethos of the club".

"I think Mourinho will have watched that closely and will have seen what happened," Scholes, 41, told BBC Surrey. "He's a top manager, he's proven that before and hopefully he can do that again."

Scholes and Giggs were in the United team that won the Premier League title in 2013

Scholes also said he was optimistic former team-mate Ryan Giggs, who was assistant manager under Van Gaal, will stay at Old Trafford.

"I think it's important that there's some form of continuity," he said. "Hopefully he'll still be at the club, hopefully still working with the first team.

"He knows the club inside out, he's been there for nearly 30 years now."

The impending appointment of former Chelsea boss Mourinho has drawn a mixed reaction from former United players.

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Paul Scholes and Peter Schmeichel on Jose Mourinho

Ex-goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel says the Portuguese "could save" the club, while Hull City boss Steve Bruce believes the opportunity to bring in the three-time Premier League winner was "just too good to miss".

But Old Trafford legend Eric Cantona told the Guardian his former club should have gone for Pep Guardiola, who will join Manchester City instead.

Cantona, who celebrated his 50th birthday this week, said he "loved" Mourinho but claimed the style of football he chooses to play is "not Manchester United".

FIXTURES RESULTS TABLES MATCH ZONE 'I've been watching him for a long time': Wenger gets his man as Xhaka seals £35m switch after agreeing £110,000-a-week deal

Arsenal have confirmed the signing of Switzerland international Granit Xhaka after securing the final details of a £35million deal to bring in the midfielder from Borussia Monchengladbach. Xhaka has put pen to paper on a five-year contract worth £110,000-per-week and has passed a medical ahead of his move going through when the transfer window opens next week. Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger said: 'Granit Xhaka is an exciting young player, already with good Champions League and Bundesliga experience. We have been watching him for a long time now.'