Former captain Granit Xhaka has slammed Arsenal for showing him “little respect” while he was at the club, but credits Mikel Arteta with convincing him to stay following a public fallout with fans.
Granit Xhaka At Arsenal
Granit Xhaka joined Arsenal from Borussia Monchengladbach for £30m in 2016 to become Arsenal’s third most expensive signing at the time.
The Switzerland international won two FA Cup titles while at the club, but his time in north London was blighted by a strained relationship with fans.
In 2019, Xhaka replaced Laurent Koscielny as captain in what looked to be a sensible leadership choice for the club. However, just a month later Xhaka was stripped of the armand after swearing at his own fans because they cheered as his name was called to be substituted.
As a result, Xhaka was banished from the squad by manager Unai Emery and his days in north London looked to be numbered.
However, following Unai Emery’s sacking, Xhaka was extended an olive branch by new manager Mikel Arteta and spent another four years at the club, before moving to Bayer Leverkusen in the summer.
Granit Xhaka was made vulnerable to criticisms by the former managers. They couldn't understand his strong hold. He was humiliated and booed, he felt no love from the fans. I am glad Mikel came along and unlocked his potential. He is an amazing player and a leader. pic.twitter.com/njez0Th93Q
— The Nomad Post. (@the_nomad_post) December 19, 2023
Xhaka On His Time At Arsenal
Now Xhaka has spoken out about his time at Arsenal, revealing how he struggled with his own fans booing him.
In an interview with The Athletic, Xhaka said: “The club showed me little respect even though I was the captain. It was clear they wanted to get rid of me as quickly as possible, apart from one person: Mikel Arteta.
“When I met him for the first time, my bags were already packed and I was about to hop on a plane. With my heart and soul, I had already left the club. I said to him, ‘The solution is for me to go’. Mikel told me he wanted me to stay. But I wasn’t sure.
“I remember speaking to my dad at the time. He told me, ‘Let’s go’. For the first time ever, he told me to run away. He said there was no future for me at Arsenal. I could not imagine myself playing for Arsenal again. I said to him, ‘I just want to be somewhere where the fans don’t boo me’.
“But he was so convincing. For the first time in my life, I took a decision without talking to my family first. I got up and said, ‘OK, I’ll stay’. We embraced and, from that day on, I returned to training and it was like nothing ever happened.”
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