Granit Xhaka was Arsenal’s captain at the start of the 2019/2020 season, but the midfielder fell out with the club’s fans, and they stripped him of that honour.
The Swiss star was close to leaving the club in the January transfer window of 2020. However, after speaking with Mikel Arteta, he changed his mind.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang became the club’s captain, and the midfielder continued playing as a normal squad member.
The striker was similarly stripped of the captaincy late last year, and he has since left the club.
Martin Odegaard was named Arsenal’s new captain at the start of this season, but could we see Xhaka wear the armband again?
A report on The Athletic reveals that the midfielder has been added to a new leadership group at the Emirates created by Arteta.
The Spanish manager has nominated him alongside some leading players in the squad to support Odegaard.
Just Arsenal Opinion
Xhaka has proven to be an invaluable player at Arsenal this season, and the midfielder certainly deserves a second chance to become the club’s captain.
Because of Odegaard’s fine fitness record, it would be hard to see another player wearing the armband, but Xhaka deserves to be among the club’s leaders.
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I am beginning to see Odegaad now as our only weakling in the team because he can’t shoot and he goes missing in physical matches
Dear God 🤦🏽♂️
You haven’t got a clue about how Odegaard plays, do yourself a favour and actually watch him play, can’t shoot…pathetic remark
Xhaka may not wear the captain’s armband but he’s the one that does the talk in the pre-match huddle.
If he is performing without the armband, then that’s totally fine..
A pointless article created from nothing, as you well know!
XHAKA IS ALREADY ONE OF SEVERAL LEADING CHARACTERS IN THE DRESSING ROOM AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE.
No official change of club captain is even remotely on the horizon and I AM CERTAIN that you, Martin, are as well aware of this reality as is any other Gooner.
TBF I think he is referring more to Xhaka as a no2.
Something I would be happy to accept. I think he has grown leaps and bounds since that day 3 years ago….and hopefully so have the fans.
hothed, Plainly he is not so referring! His exact words are”the midfielder certainly deserves a second chance to be the club’s captain”!
Nothing at all about being a number two.
I admire Xhakas will to win but loathe his lack of pace and mobility, even when now playing further forward.
ALL players, no matter what position need pace and mobility , both of which he still lacks bigtime!
For years we have been crying for more leaders in the squad, and we are getting there.
On any day, take your pick, Martin / Xhaka / Tierney, Elneny / Cedric / Holding / Bellarine / Partey / Jesus / Zinc to mention a few. We have some hot heads too for Balance in Ramsdale / Marteneli / Gabriel M / ARTETA. We nolonger appear to be soft and long may this continue.
Look beyond the armband.
This guy is STILL the weakest link, a complete liability who’s career has always been flashes of something – be it good or bad…
His brain-dead outbursts cost us points last season and this will continue to, EVERY season, without a doubt – costing us more and more valuable points!
Nobody argues the effort he puts in, A for effort mate. Regarding the pay these guys get – it’s the least he could do…
All the groveling in the world won’t change the legacy this guy has burned into the history books, he’s still the most contentious and hated player in the clubs history (Adebayor had already left).
Again, flashes of brilliance but a consistent liability. Fans forget there are many upgrades on Granit Xhaka, somebody like Neves etc would make us real title contenders. This guy is only holding us back and you’re talking about giving him the armband again because he’s the oldest gobshite in the dressing room?!
Please, watch the games…
Hurry off the pitch Granit…
Spot on, you know despite how well he is playing, he still picked up a yellow for diving against Palace, and he is always a brain fart from either giving away a penalty or getting sent off, let’s see how he pans out against the big teams
The mos contentious and hated player in our history?
Not in my book – my vote goes to that little boy RVP, who sold the fans, the manager and the club down the river.
Xhaka has been played by three different managers at our club and Saturday’s game showed how much he is part of the MA plan.
Of course there are upgrades, just as there are for other players in the squad, but until MA sees fit to change him, Granit remains one of our most important players, both on and off the pitch…just ask his fellow players and the manager!!
Agreed on RVP (there will always be a place in Gooner-hell for that Utd transfer) although he never swore at his own support while dragging his feet off the pitch when we were loosing…
You’re right though, the management seem to like him; Wenger liked Rambo too, even though we all knew he was mediocre at best. Same with the way Ozil outstayed his ‘sell by date’ by at least 2 seasons.
I personally think £400k a month could be better spent on a world class replacement. Make our starting 11 world class, not 10 crackers and a weekly liability who’s number one attribute appears that he’s a ‘popular figure’ off the pitch. Yes that helps the younger crop, but for £100K per week…
Xhaka’s basically stealing a wage and holding us back, you can’t blame the guy. Take the money and run, or pass sideways and backwards.
And don’t get me wrong, I back Arteta all the way – trusting the process and all that. Even last season when we capitulated and the beginning and the end. I’m genuinely excited by this seasons prospects, first time in years!
However, playing Granit Xhaka baffles me, it baffles me that people still make excuses for this guy?
No reason to try one more time
Ashburton Grove, glad that you agree with the RVP thought.
Regarding Xhaka – this is a new season and I can only speak on what I’ve seen at the Emirates cup and our first two PL games.
He was excellent against Leicester and his overall game, compared to Partey was so much better.
His silly yellow card against Palace is making more news than the rest of his imput over those three games… crazy in my opinion.
Meanwhile Partey’s distribution, especially against Leicester, was awful, to say the least, yet he gets hardly any criticism at all.
It’s easy to accuse him of stealing a wage, but, in reality, that is just BS, especially as you then go on to praise Mikel and how he’s doing a great job.
It was Mikel who persuaded him to stay and offer him a new contract and he has repaid that trust this season.
While I don’t agree with your description of how Xhaka plays, let’s go with your view and ask the question – has it occurred to you that he is doing what Mikel wants him to do and that’s why he’s first name on the team sheet?
In my opinion, Xhaka has become another player in a long list Arsenal players who have become the butt of fans anger and abuse.
David Price, Jon Sammel, Hector Bellerin, Mesut Ozil, Philippe Senderos, Theo Walcott, Emnanuel Eboue all come under that umbrella.