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Arsenal: Granit Xhaka Has Opened His Legacy Account
By Josh Sippie
Arsenal’s new midfield flag-bearer, Granit Xhaka, has officially established that he could very well be headed towards legend status.
Arsenal signing Granit Xhaka was a big deal. They moved for him incredibly quickly and the hype and proven talent of this young man was well established. It was the first time that Wenger had made a major signing of this type of midfielder since the departure of Patrick Vieira and Gilberto Silva, the iconic duo.
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Thus far into his brief Arsenal career, he has laid the groundwork for what we all assume would be an incredibly successful career. The goals have been spectacular, his defense stout and his control everything we could have dreamed of. His passing has been on point and, perhaps most importantly, his leadership is exactly what was needed.
I keep harping about it, but there were recent times when the Gunner’s seemed to lack a heart and a spine. It was hard to see the team get so down and dejected with no one there to pick them up.
That all changes with Granit Xhaka. The Swiss battle tank has already embedded himself within the anatomy of Arsenal as a vital organ.
And now, he has proven his emotional attachment to the club as well, referring to the club as ‘home’ in a recent Instagram post.
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If that doesn’t get your heart all flowing with emotion, I don’t know what will. Here we are, just a couple months into his tenure and already he feels so attached to the club that he is referring to it as his home.
I don’t think I am reading into this too much. This is a fantastic sign and one that should cause us to be even more excited to see the growth and progression of the 23 year old. I still hold to my belief (I think it’s proven fact, too) that players will always be that extra mile better if they care about the shirt they wear.
It’s one reason I never want to see Jack Wilshere sold. I don’t think he could perform as well with any other shirt on his back.
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I want to see Granit Xhaka reach that point, where his love for Arsenal is what drives him. It feels like he has taken his first steps in that direction. With enough time, I have no doubts that Xhaka can be a legend along the lines of the men he is (at long last) replacing.