Granit Xhaka admits it wasn’t easy to leave Arsenal, and he didn’t want to end up facing the Gunners, but he wanted a new challenge.
Granit Xhaka completed a transfer to Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen earlier this month, earning Arsenal a very good fee of £21.5m in the process.
Speaking to the media, Xhaka has admitted it wasn’t an easy decision for him to make, especially given the relationship he had with the backroom staff at Arsenal.
“I spent seven magnificent years at Arsenal, I didn’t want to play against them,” Xhaka told Marca. “It wasn’t easy for me to leave or for the club to let me go.
“I felt love and respect from Edu and [Mikel] Arteta, but I wanted to face a new challenge at Bayer Leverkusen.
“Mikel is incredible, not only as a coach, and I think Xabi [Alonso] is on the same line.”
Coming off the back of such a strong season, perhaps Xhaka’s decision to leave was initially a surprise to many supporters.
The midfielder had made 47 appearances for Mikel Arteta’s side in 2022/23 as a key member of the team, scoring nine goals and assisting a further seven.
In the search for an explanation, there was some speculation that Xhaka’s wife was behind the move, pushing him to return to Germany. But the player has denied these claims.
“There was speculation everywhere that my wife was no longer happy in England. That is not at all true,” Xhaka said earlier this month.
“The fact is that as a person I am always interested in new challenges. After seven years, the time has come for something completely new.
“The league is not new, but the club is. During the talks with Simon Rolfes [sporting director] and Xabi Alonso, I felt that the long-term project at Leverkusen was worthwhile and that it was 100% in line with me.”
The fee of £21.5m is the highest fee a Premier League club has ever received for a midfielder in their thirties, easily trumping the £10+2m fee Arsenal paid for Jorginho in January.
But it’s still a shame to see Xhaka leaving after his best season in an Arsenal shirt.
The club were evidently looking to refresh in midfield, bringing in Kai Havertz and Declan Rice, and Xhaka’s decision to make a fresh start may have come at the right time for everyone.