Last summer, Granit Xhaka left Arsenal after what had been a miraculous turnaround in his Emirates Stadium career. The Swiss midfielder, once despised by the fans of the club whose shirt he wore, not only earned his way back into their hearts but also became a fan favorite.
The former Borussia M'gladbach ace would even wear the armband in games where skipper Martin Odegaard was benched or subbed off. Fans at the stadium and on social media even pleaded for him to stay once the Leverkusen rumors emerged.
However, this does not mean all has been forgotten by the Swiss international. In an extensive interview with the Athletic, the 31-year-old discussed in great detail his turmoils in North London and his time with Xabi Alonso's high-flying Bundesliga side.
And the former Arsenal man did not hold back his distaste for the club's actions during that turmoil. While the problems began way before that, things reached a boiling point in October 2019 when Xhaka, who had suffered abuse from disgruntled Arsenal fans, was jeered off the pitch after being substituted in a frustrating draw at home to Crystal Palace.
The player bit back, responding by cupping his ears, ripping his shirt off, and mouthing something back at the supporters, presumably expletives. Following this incident, the under-fire Unai Emery, who was in charge back then, tried to calm things down but the club ultimately stripped Granit of the captaincy and were aiming to sell him that winter. However, the man who would turn things around for the midfielder walked through the door roughly two months later and that was Mikel Arteta.
"The club showed me little respect even though I was the captain," the now Leverkusen ace told Raphael Honigstein. "It was clear they wanted to get rid of me as quickly as possible, apart from one person: Mikel Arteta.
"Mikel told me he wanted me to stay. But I wasn't sure.
"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."
Not only did Arteta quickly reintegrate the player, but he also reinstated him to the leadership group. While Xhaka was never anointed captain — that honor went to Pierre-Emerick Aubmayeng, then Alexandre Lacazette, and finally Martin Odegaard — Mikel did not shy away from handing the Swiss international the armband a few seasons later.
The midfielder reiterated his appreciation for the Spaniard and even highlighted his final game for Arsenal as the perfect example of his turnaround. In the Gunners' 2022-23 Premier League curtain closer, Xhaka scored a brace in a 5-0 win over Wolves, came close to getting a hat-trick, and was serenaded by fans pleading for him to stay another season.
"Mikel picked me up and brought me back to playing at a level I always knew I could play at,' he added of Arteta's influence.
"Four years later, it ended with me almost scoring a hat-trick [against Wolves in his last appearance] and Arsenal fans screaming that they wanted me to stay. It was a goosebumps moment."
The player also admitted to keeping regular contact with several players and staff members currently at the Emirates Stadium and follows their games as often as possible. This is not easy to achieve as both the Gunners and Leverkusen are in the midst of a title race but the club still holds a place in Granit's heart.
Arteta's men have coped with the 31-year-old's exit. In his place, former Leverkusen starlet Kai Havertz was signed and following a rough start to the campaign, the German international is finally getting into form. The North London giants are top of the table by only a single point while Die Werkself sit four points clear at the Bundesliga summit, having played a game extra over title rivals Bayern Munich.
