Arteta ‘misses’ 31yo after ‘best season for Arsenal’ with £60m replacement ‘not working out’ – Gibbs | OneFootball

Granit Xhaka has some friendly beef with Callum Wilson.

Arsenal are missing Granit Xhaka in their midfield this season, according to former Gunners stars Ian Wright and Kieran Gibbs.

Xhaka spent seven years at the Emirates, winning two FA Cups and making 297 appearances across all competitions.

The Switzerland captain took a while to win over a lot of Arsenal fans and when he seemed close to doing so, he would do something silly to upset those who were close to changing their opinion of him.

In the end, Xhaka left the Gunners a hero after performing terrifically as a box-to-box midfielder in his final two years at the club.

After convincing the 31-year-old to stay when he took over in December 2019, Mikel Arteta let Xhaka leave on a high at the end of the 2022/23 campaign.

The Swiss joined Bayer Leverkusen in the summer in a deal worth around €15million.

He is loving life back in Germany after a spell with Borussia Monchengladbach before transferring to Arsenal in 2016. Leverkusen are currently top of the Bundesliga with nine wins and one draw from their opening ten league encounters.

Some have suggested that Arsenal are missing Xhaka’s leadership and physical style in midfield and Saturday’s defeat at Newcastle United was probably the strongest case for that being true.

The Magpies didn’t exactly bully Arteta’s men or ‘want it more’, but Bruno Guimaraes was able to get away with a couple of dirty plays on Jorginho. With Xhaka in the team, you’d assume the Brazilian would not have gotten away with it or been alive after the first incident – a forearm to the head of the Gunners skipper on the day.

Arsenal lost the game 1-0 in controversial circumstances, their first defeat in the Premier League this season.

Gunners legend Wright thinks with Thomas Partey injured (again) and Oleksandr Zinchenko struggling, Arteta is missing Xhaka in his midfield.

“I think Thomas Partey’s injury has been a massive blow to us,” Wright told Premier League Productions.

“Zinchenko’s form and dropping off. Missing Xhaka, the way Xhaka was and how he helped him. I think we are missing that dynamic in the game.”

Xhaka starred when Arsenal won 2-0 at St James’ Park in May and it was a classic performance from the 31-year-old, who was close to scrapping the whole Newcastle team but was also a crucial player in and out of possession, combining with Jorginho to use his experience to get them over the line.

Discussing Saturday’s Premier League defeat, ex-Arsenal left-back Gibbs said the loss of Xhaka stood out to him, with £60million summer signing Kai Havertz not doing enough in his place.

On the Gunners’ attack lacking fluidity, Gibbs told ESPN: “I think the absence of Xhaka actually.

“He probably had his best season last season, let’s be honest, after a long spell at the club.

“I don’t think he was underrated last season. I just think he was appreciated more for what he was doing. He calmed down his antics with his fouls and stuff. He just cleaned up a lot of his game. I felt he was a really good link.

“He gave that balance, especially when Zinchenko came in last season and started to play inverted, it gave Xhaka a bit of a different role. I do think it is having a bigger effect on the team than most people think.

“I do think it’s a problem. I think Arteta wanted Havertz to fill that role. It hasn’t worked out so far. It’s still early enough in the season and it’s something he is going to look at.”