Arsenal fans remember the Granit Xhaka transfer to Bayer Leverkusen as a pivotal moment. But did you know just how difficult it was for the Gunners to let him go?
New revelations from Bayer Leverkusen’s sporting director shed light on the behind-the-scenes battle for the Swiss midfielder.
Arsenal fans have long known that Granit Xhaka‘s departure to Bayer Leverkusen was a significant moment in the club’s recent history.
Now, new details have emerged that offer a fresh perspective on how difficult it was for the Gunners to part with their influential midfielder.
Bayer Leverkusen‘s sporting director, Simon Rolfes, spilled the beans on the lengthy and arduous negotiations leading up to Xhaka’s transfer. He described it as a “long battle,” emphasising Arsenal‘s initial unwillingness to sell their midfield linchpin.
“Granit was the top option for us,” Rolfes told Saarbruecker Zeitung. “That’s why we tried to recruit him so early on.
“If he had said he wanted to stay in London, it wouldn’t have been possible. But we already had his positive signal in February.
“It was just a long battle with Arsenal afterwards, but Granit had always behaved correctly there, even in difficult times. That made the transfer possible in July.”
Xhaka, despite his occasionally volatile relationship with a section of Arsenal fans, was a crucial figure for the club. His leadership qualities, aggression, and passing range were valuable assets and he developed significantly under Mikel Arteta. Arsenal‘s resistance to his sale underscores their belief in his importance to the team’s balance and identity by that point.
After his departure, Xhaka explained why he felt it was time for him to leave the club. Speaking to NZZ am Sonntag, he clarified that he didn’t move to Bayer Leverkusen as a “boss”, but rather as someone seeking a new challenge.
“What does boss mean? The word is a bit big. I didn’t come to Leverkusen as a boss, but because I was looking for a new challenge,” Xhaka said.
“I felt like my time at Arsenal was over for me after seven years in London. I came here as an experienced player and person. The other players see that I can give them something of what I have learned. That’s part of my role here.”
Since his move, Xhaka has become a mainstay for Bayer Leverkusen and one of the most important players in the league as they sit seven points ahead of Bayern Munich at the top of the table.
Time to say goodbye?
When Xhaka left Arsenal for Bayer Leverkusen over the summer, the midfielder never really had the chance to say a proper goodbye to the Gunners’ supporters.
Before the end of last season, Xhaka had publicly confirmed his hopes that his sale would be agreed prior to the final game against Wolves.
That didn’t happen, so he couldn’t entirely say his farewells to the fans that day.
Speaking to The Athletic at the end of December, Xhaka said, “It will be our chance to say goodbye to the players, the staff and the supporters properly,” confirming plans to return for a farewell game.