Granit Xhaka has revealed how Arsenal have evolved under Mikel Arteta as the Gunners look to defend their place at the top of the Premier League. The 30-year-old midfielder has embodied the peaks and troughs of the club's journey under the Spaniard - struggling to impress at first before slowly growing into one of Europe's top performers.
Now, the Gunners are leading a title race and Xhaka is at the heart of the action. The Switzerland international has featured 25 times in the Premier League this season, directly contributing towards eight goals from midfield.
But it hasn't been all isn't all easy; Arteta has had to make some difficult decisions along the way including the the decisions to part company with Mesut Ozil and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. The former left Arsenal in January 2021 after not complying with the 'non-negotiable' which the Spaniard demanded from his players.
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A year later, Aubameyang also left the club after he was stripped of the captain's armband and forced to train alone for similar behavioural concerns. Speaking to Sky Sports, Xhaka lifted the lid on the two situations and insisted that Arteta has always had the support of the club.
When quizzed on Ozil and Aubameyang, the Swiss replied: "You say these two players, they were big names in this football club. We respect them a lot but of course to do these things [move them on] you need the support of the club.
"I think Mikel had the support from the club to do it. You have different types of character today, different types of players as well, now of course, you can say it was a good decision from Mikel to do that.
"I would say that my relationship with both players was very good, I never had any problems with any players, this was a decision by Mikel and the club."
Xhaka continued by revealing how Arteta won over - and continues to win over - the dressing room at London Colney. He added: "We have nearly every day a 'DJ', a DJ on the training spaces putting some music.
"We are doing as well, before the games a couple of games where it’s to be awake, to be ready for the game. It’s very, very interesting because I never had this before.
"He knows exactly where he needs to push us, when to push us, where to take the pressure off, when to put more pressure. He’s somebody who smells it, even if he doesn’t have a lot of experience as a head coach, this is his first station if you think about it, but he has this feeling and this makes him very special."
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