Granit Xhaka has tested positive for Covid-19 and hasn’t been vaccinated, according to reports and quotes over the last 24 hours.

Ahead of Switzerland’s game against Greece on Wednesday night, Granit Xhaka had to pull out of the squad after testing positive for Covid-19. The Swiss FA head of communications Adrian Arnold then confirmed the midfielder hadn’t been vaccinated.

“Granit Xhaka was not vaccinated,” Arnold confirmed. “He’s a player who isn’t vaccinated. We left this up to each player, it’s a personal decision of each player – just like any other person in Switzerland.

“We have issued a recommendation that everyone vaccinate. But he decided for himself personally. And it is also his right not to be vaccinated.”

Xhaka is obviously now going to be out for at least a week or so, not that it makes much difference to Arsenal, who would have been without him anyway due to his red card against Manchester City.

It’s more of an issue for Switzerland, who have two further World Cup Qualifiers before the international break is over, including one against Italy.

The bigger concern for Arsenal now is whether Xhaka ends up with longer lasting effects of having contracted the virus whilst unvaccinated. We saw how Covid-19 set back Gabriel Magalhaes for a while even after he was officially available again early this year.