Lazio great Paolo di Canio is backing Inter Milan's move for Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka.
Xhaka is being linked with a swap move to Inter involving Christian Eriksen.
Former Tottenham midfielder Eriksen is available from Inter barely a year after joining from Spurs following a difficult 12 months under Inter coach Conte. Xhaka, meanwhile, is again under pressure at Arsenal over discipline problems and saw red in defeat at home to Burnley last week.
Di Canio was asked about talk of the swap and began joking about Xhaka's problems with match officials.
He told Sky Italia via TMW: "If you want to start games with a yellow card, that's fine ...
"He's certainly a player more suited to Inter, he's a left-sider, very hard, tough, maybe sometimes too much because he takes some yellow cards in the Premier League."
While ratiing Eriksen the better footballer, Di Canio says Xhaka's style of game would better suit Conte's system.
He added: "As an exchange for (coach Antonio) Conte's idea of football he would be fine, it being understood that Eriksen is technically superior even if he is not showing it at Inter. The fact that he is left-sided is very interesting."
Di Canio enjoyed seven successful years in England with Sheffield Wednesday, West Ham United and Charlton Athletic before he returned to Italy to lead Lazio for two years. The former Sunderland manager now works as a pundit for local Italian television.
- updated December 22
