Nuno Tavares has hailed Granit Xhaka's leadership qualities at Arsenal and his ability to be a buffer between the players and the coaching staff.
The Swiss international has been a controversial figure during his time at the Emirates, notably when he was stripped of his captaincy after he swore at his team's own supporters after being substituted against Crystal Palace in October 2019. Xhaka has repeatedly been a liability with several costly red cards in big games which led to claims he was joining Roma last summer. The midfielder would end up staying put, signing a new contract and it's been a completely different story this season.
He has arguably had his best campaign in an Arsenal shirt but it's his influence off the pitch that has been priceless to Arteta's young squad as he has emerged as one of the leaders inside the dressing room. Xhaka didn't mince his words when he called out his Arsenal teammates following their disappointing defeat to Newcastle as Champions League football slipped from their grasp.
