Granit Xhaka is proud of the way he has turned things around at Arsenal but would think twice before taking up the captain’s armband again.
It turned into a sour story at the Emirates when Xhaka got stripped of the armband following a bustup with the fans.
It was only after Mikel Arteta arrived that we started to see the best of the Swiss midfielder. Settled into a fixed deep-lying role, Xhaka has flourished for this new Gunners side. He is one of the only players to play every single minute under the Spaniard.
“Of course, I don’t lie. There was a moment, because it was not easy for me and my family. I hope people understand this,” Xhaka told the Evening Standard when asked if he ever thought his Arsenal career was over. “But I think I showed my character. I am not a guy who runs away.
“I always say to the club, ‘when I [am] here, I am ready to give everything’. It was like this always. I train very hard and that things turned around is the key. This [has given me] the most happiness.”
On captaining the team in the future, he said: “I know with or without the armband what I can give the team. If one day the club asks me about the armband, I have to think twice.”
Xhaka is no doubt an instrumental piece to Arteta’s plans at North London and he proved that in the 3-2 victory over Everton. It would be too early to suggest that fans are completely sold on his resurgence but he has come very very close. If he continues to perform at this rate, many of the Gunners faithful would consider themselves lucky to have held onto him.
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