On October 27, 2019, Granit Xhaka’s Arsenal career looked to be over.
After being substituted by manager Unai Emery in the Gunners’ 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace at the Emirates Stadium, the club captain was booed off the pitch. His response was to throw his hands in the air and cup them to his ears, appearing also to tell the supporters to “f**k off” as he headed for the tunnel.
It was one of the most dramatic exercises in bridge burning ever seen in the Premier League.
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Yet, somehow, three years later Xhaka remains at the club, and what’s more has been one of their star players in 2022-23 under Mikel Arteta. The Swiss’ attitude adjustment has been spectacular, especially in a dressing room environment in which his manager has pulled no punches with dissenters, most obviously evidenced in his handling of subsequent skipper Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang last season.
Coaxing such performances out of Xhaka might just be Arteta’s greatest achievement in the midst of the run which has seen the north London side lead the Premier League table after 11 matches. As Prath Semper, of the popular Arsenal Twitter account @SemperFiArsenal, points out, the addition of Thomas Partey has helped to get the best out of Xhaka in a Gunners shirt.
“Xhaka has always been a ‘good’ player for Arsenal but not an ‘exceptional’ one until recently,” Semper tells The Sportsman. “He was one of the players who used to frequently start under Arsene Wenger and Emery, Freddie Ljungberg too for a short period, and he was our captain under them, so the talent was there and recognised by our previous managers.
“Things got better for him when Arteta arrived, and in the following summer window we bought Partey, a player who he would form a very good partnership with. When Partey and Xhaka played in a double pivot, from the time Partey arrived to around early 2022, we ended up dominating and winning more matches than when either weren't available.
“I think he’s playing so much better and turned into an ‘exceptional player’ purely because of the slight change in position/role because of our shift to a 4-3-3 system around January. The more advanced and free role has allowed him to play more instinctively, which seems to be natural for Xhaka. He has played that role exceptionally well for the Swiss national team for a few years now. Arteta has found a system that works really well and Xhaka is thriving in it.
“Credit to Xhaka for doing all of the things he has been asked to do exceptionally well, and credit to the manager for supporting him, changing his opinion – since Xhaka was very close to leaving when Mikel arrived – making him feel wanted and finding how to get the best out of him.
“I’m really happy for Xhaka, he has been a player who has gone through a lot over the years, and to make a comeback and then gain back the trust as well as the love from the fans, the majority of whom wanted him gone a few years back, speaks volumes about his character and personality. A leader on and off the pitch and a key cog for Mikel's team currently, Xhaka has undergone one of the greatest redemption arcs a footballer has ever undergone.”
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