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Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Granit Xhaka has revealed that only Mikel Arteta wanted him to remain at Arsenal back in 2019.
The Switzerland international nearly exited the Emirates Stadium after he cupped his ears, with fans jeering him in a Premier League match against Crystal Palace in October 2019. Xhaka had then reportedly agreed to a deal with Bundesliga club Hertha Berlin, only to change his mind in the 11th hour.
Claiming that Arteta, who took charge of the Gunners in December 2019, wished for him to stay, Xhaka told The Athletic (via SPORTbible):
"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.
"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."
He added:
"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.
"Mikel picked me up and brought me back to playing at a level I always knew I could play at. Four years later, it ended with me almost scoring a hat-trick [against Wolves in his last appearance] and fans screaming that they wanted me to stay. It was a goosebumps moment."
Xhaka turned his career around at the Emirates, enjoying his best-ever season before joining Bayer Leverkusen for a reported €25 million this summer. In an advanced midfield role, he scored nine goals and assisted seven during the 2022/23 campaign.
The Swiss star capped off his career at the north Londoners with a brace in the 5-0 win against Wolves on May 28. He made 297 appearances for the club and won the FA Cup twice, among other trophies.
Who do Arsenal face next in the Premier League, and where do they stand?
Arsenal are preparing to travel to Anfield for a Premier League clash against Liverpool on Saturday (December 23). The Gunners are on top of the league standings with 39 points.
However, they could fall behind the Reds should they suffer a defeat to Jurgen Klopp's side, who are only a point behind the north Londoners. In their last fixture, Mikel Arteta's side recorded a convincing 2-0 win against Brighton on Sunday (December 17).
Meanwhile, Liverpool shared the spoils with Manchester United in their latest outing (0-0, December 17). Despite managing 69% possession, attempting 34 shots and placing eight on target, the Merseysiders failed to find a way past Andre Onana.
