“It wasn’t easy for me,” Granit Xhaka explains the real reason behind leaving Arsenal
Bundesliga should brace themselves for a Granit Xhaka storm in the next season.
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Xhaka sharing a moment with Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta. (Source: Getty Images)
After spending seven significant years in North London, Xhaka believes it’s the right time to bid farewell. The Swiss midfielder reveals that for the affection he felt for Arsenal, he didn’t want to play against them. Hence the move to a different league serves as a new challenge. He also revealed how the move was tough for him, as a player, and the club since he shared a good relationship with Arteta and Edu.
Xhaka has also captained the club in the past and shares a love-hate relationship with the fans. But having won their favor with his great performances last season, it will be an emotional goodbye for the Gunners. He also scored some great goals during his time at the Emirates. However, now, he has completed a move to Bayer Leverkusen in the summer transfer window for a fee of around £21.5 million.
As Xhaka embarks on this new journey with Leverkusen, it will be interesting to see how well he adapts in the Bundesliga and with the German fans. While it’s a new style of play and environment, Xhaka will have the opportunity to prove in a new situation and use his leadership qualities. Given the improvement in his game under Arteta, he will also be a benefitting asset for the German club to use his passing and defensive abilities profusely.
Xhaka’s departure marks the end of an era of dedication and legacy at the club. His move resonates with the transient of football as parting ways might be brutal, but it’s a part of life. As he embarks on this new journey, Arsenal fans, management, and Xhaka can reflect on the period with appreciation and fondness.
Xhaka, Arsenal’s weapon before Saka
Former Arsenal goalkeeper Bernd Leno, while speaking on the Arsenal YouTube Channel last year, even stated that Xhaka’s shots are ‘very, very powerful’ and are ‘impossible to catch’. Calling his shot-taking ability highly unpredictable, making it hard for the keeper to judge. The midfielder scored some screamers in his time with the Gunners, and for that, he earned a befitting nickname from the fans- Xhakaboom. His left-footed effort from outside the box against Manchester United was the highlight of last season.
The Swiss international had played a versatile role under Mikel Arteta, passing the ball to break opponent lines toward winger Bukayo Saka and setting him up multiple times. Xhaka had been an essential voice in the dressing room and has always been known as the player who stood up for himself and his team.
Arsenal fans are already missing his presence on the pitch since the club is yet to find an imminent replacement for the Swiss maestro. During pre-season, they faced hefty challenges and immediately remembered if there was one player who would stand in adversity for their club, it was him.
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Syed Talib Haider
(1039 Articles Published)