Granit Xhaka has revealed he "cried tears of joy" when his move from Arsenal to Bayer Leverkusen was sealed.
The midfielder left the Emirates Stadium over the summer after seven eventful years in north London.
Xhaka won two FA Cups with the Gunners, was made captain, stripped of the captaincy after a public spat with fans, and then enjoyed one of his finest seasons to date last term as Arsenal went close to winning their first Premier League title in two decades.
The Swiss midfielder, now 31, moved to the Bundesliga for around £20million to join Xabi Alonso's high-flying Bayer side, who currently sit top of the league after nine wins and a draw in their first 10 games with Xhaka one of their star performers.
Xhaka is back in German football for the first time since a four-year spell with Borussia Monchengladbach and says he was desperate to return.
"I’m a very emotional person, I like to cry and I’m not ashamed of it,” he told Leverkusen's club channel 'The Werkself Friend Book'
"Of course, I also cried for joy at times. For example, when I made my transfer here to Leverkusen.
"I also cried tears of joy because I really wanted to go back. I think it’s also part of it as a person."
