Granit Xhaka has turned around his Arsenal career after nearly leaving the club at the start of 2020.
The midfielder has been at the Emirates since 2016 and was made the club’s captain for the 2019/2020 campaign.
The first half of that season was a poor for the Gunners, which eventually cost Unai Emery his job.
Mikel Arteta replaced his fellow Spaniard at the end of 2019, by then, Xhaka’s relationship with the club’s fans had deteriorated and they stripped him of the captaincy.
He was prepared to leave in January 2020, but Arteta had plans for him and asked the Swiss midfielder to give him time to turn things around.
The midfielder agreed and the rest is history as they sit atop the Premier League table. Recalling the moment he changed his mind, the former Borussia Monchengladbach man said via The Sun:
“He just said: Stay, I will make sure that you deliver top performances.
“Please give me six months. He told me his ideas and his philosophy.
“I just knew it would work out with him. For the first time in my life I made a decision all by myself.”
Just Arsenal Opinion
Xhaka has been in fine form for much of this season. If he had left the club, he probably would be struggling at a low-level team now.
We are blessed to have him in the dressing room and his career turnaround is another credit to Arteta’s man-management skills.
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Xhaka is in the form of his life, he must keep a cool head and not go into crazy tackled. Arsenal cannot afford him not playing.
Xhaka the flavor of the month so to speak keep the fire 🔥 blazing
Xhaha is a good guy I love how he stay with the team and turn things around for him self