Mikel Arteta is the second man in charge of Arsenal who has hailed Granit Xhaka as a great leader.
It was not too long ago when the Swiss international had a falling out with the club’s fans and management after voicing his frustration during a Premier League game.
Xhaka told off the spectators during a 2-2 draw at the Emirates, sparking outrage amongst the fans later. Unai Emery took the decision to strip him off the captain’s armband and even shunned him from the squad for several weeks. The midfielder even came close to leaving in January.
Somehow, he was reintegrated back into the squad and under Mikel Arteta, he has become one of the most important members. There must be something that Xhaka does right behind the scenes that coaches love about him. Arteta said ahead of the FA Cup tie against Sheffield United, “Yeah, he’s a natural leader.
“He’s someone who is always 1,000 per cent committed, not just for himself but to help all his teammates all the time. I’m happy that you can hear him more now! [shouting on the pitch without crowd noise].
“Hopefully I have 24 captains who are willing to take leadership wherever they like,” replied Arteta. “There is not only one way to be a captain, you can be a captain in many different ways. Be yourself, express yourself, play with the passion and set an example to your teammates. That is, for me, a leader.”
Xhaka has revealed earlier that he won’t take on captaincy responsibilities just as easily the second time. Currently, Arsenal are being led by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang whose future is in great doubt.
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