Patrick Vieira in full agreement with Mikel Arteta amid Granit Xhaka decision

Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka is a divisive figure among his own fanbase, let alone neutrals, but clearly has the backing of his manager and a Gunners legend to match

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Mikel Arteta previews Arsenal’s clash with Fulham

Granit Xhaka’s infamous on-pitch, foul-mouthed tirade at the Arsenal supporters back in 2019 so very nearly cost him his Gunners career, but what has followed has been nothing short of remarkable.

The 29-year-old himself has admitted he had his bags packed and was ready to end his chapter in North London in favour of a move to Bundesliga outfit Hertha Berlin. Mentally, Xhaka’s head was no longer at Arsenal – until the intervention of boss Mikel Arteta.

Three years down the line, Xhaka still has the odd calamitous gaffe in his locker but has matured into a player that is one of the first names on the Arsenal team sheet. His outburst at his own supporters a few years ago did not scupper his career but it did lead to him being stripped of the club captaincy.

Therefore, Arteta’s recent decision to hand Xhaka a deputy leadership role alongside summer signing Gabriel Jesus is all the more impressive. The midfielder’s leadership qualities are clear for all to see and while Martin Odegaard is now Arsenal’s official captain, make no mistake Xhaka is still one of the biggest voices in the Gunners dressing room – as shown in the recent Amazon ‘All or Nothing’ docuseries.

There are multiple examples of Xhaka being a force for good inside the dressing room shown in the programme. One notable moment came with one of Arsenal’s young players, Emile Smith Rowe.

A notoriously shy and reserved character, cameras picked up Xhaka taking the time to praise the efforts of his teammate before huge North London derby at home against Spurs last season.

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Granit Xhaka has a fantastic working relationship with manager Mikel Arteta

“You’re the future man. You’re the future,” Xhaka tells the England international. “I felt it from the first day, you’re the future here. Imagine being Arsenal’s number 10 and being captain in the future. Wow!”

At times, it has seemed as if the only people who appreciate Xhaka’s skillset have come from within Arsenal, but he is also the subject of praise from someone outside of the red half of North London, albeit a former Gunners star in Crystal Palace boss Patrick Vieira.

The Frenchman was pressed on which stars playing the game today remind him of himself, to which he replied : “Xhaka at Arsenal, I think he is a team player, I think he is somebody you may not notice, you may not mention a lot but he is doing really hard work for the team.”

Vieira actually leapt to the defence of the Swiss international after his meltdown in 2019, adding: “I know how good he is, and he will come through this difficult period because he’s a strong man. He’s a good player, and he will show how good he is.”

Surprisingly, Xhaka finds himself as a candidate for one of the most underrated players in the Arsenal squad and, in truth, the way he has started this season is most likely a large factor behind the club’s reluctance to go and spend £25million on Youri Tielemans.

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