Granit Xhaka has admitted that when Arsene Wenger first phoned him he was worried that it was his friend playing a trick on him and hung up.

Speaking to the media in his home country (again), Granit has been talking about a number of things (read the rest of the interview here), but about the call from the boss, he said, “I was in training. When I saw the number, because I didn’t know it, when I heard him on the Combox, I thought first of all, ‘I’m being tricked by my buddy.’

He seems to have hung up but Wenger called back. “Yes [they called back] and I answered it. Spoke for two or three minutes with me. I was pretty speechless.

“He is truly a gentleman and a very quiet coach. He does not talk much, most led by the wizard [?]. But one feels that he is a huge figure at Arsenal and also in London.”

Xhaka seems truly delighted to be at Arsenal and not at all egofied by his price tag which is nice to see.

His impression on fans [and media] so far has been an immensely positive one and he already looks to have taken the first steps towards being a real fans’ favourite.