Published 20:28 IST, January 2nd 2020
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta states that Granit Xhaka will not be leaving the club
The Arsenal head coach indicated during his post-match press conference that the Swiss midfielder has indicated his desire to stay at the club
Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta has said that midfielder Xhaka will not be leaving the club during the January transfer window. The Swiss has been linked to a move to Hertha Berlin after his agent publicly declared the desire to leave.
Xhaka likely to stay
In the post-match briefing after the win over Manchester United, Arteta said, "I think he is going to stay. He was very good [against United], and I really like him. With the way we want to play, if we get him on board I think he can be a tremendous player for the football club."
The Spaniard was once again asked whether he had spoken to Xhaka about saying and whether an assurance was given and on both occasions, Arteta said that the two had spoken and Xhaka had indicated about staying.
Arteta went on to praise the work ethics of Xhaka and stated, "I like everything about him. His commitment, I like the way he is, the way he lifts his profession, how focused he is. Every time I am talking, he is listening and is willing to learn. He is a great football player. The way we want to play, there are not many with his quality on the ball, his range of pass, so I am delighted to have him."
Xhaka has received a lot of criticism from Arsenal fans for his performances and that crossed the threshold for the player during the match against Crystal Palace on October 27. Whilst he was walking off the pitch, he was jeered by the home fans and as a response, Xhaka was spotted mouthing an expletive.
Xhaka did issue an apology but did not play for a month and was also removed as the captain of the club. He slowly integrated back into the team and has been backed by Arteta after taking over as head coach.
Updated 20:28 IST, January 2nd 2020