Arsenal: Granit Xhaka the priority you never thought we needed

Some Arsenal fans may be at risk of their heads popping with the news that Granit Xhaka may be named captain to stave off any potential risk of an exit.

Granit Xhaka has been captain material from the day he arrived at Arsenal, but the performance levels on the pitch needed some tidying up. He has since tidied up and, this year in particular, proved to be an irreplaceable part of the starting XI.

Aside from not being perfect, Xhaka did very little else wrong. Up until his injury, he was a candidate for Player of the Season. His control in the middle of the pitch, his ability to unlock opposing defenses with a single laser pass, even his threat from set pieces and his immaculate corner deliveries, were absolutely necessary every single match.

And you could see that even clearer when he wasn’t in the starting XI. The games were frantic, back and forth, pure chaos. There was no element of control, so we might as well not even have bothered trying to establish it. No one in that midfield can do what Granit Xhaka does.

Aside from the blinded haters out there, a lot of fans started to come around. Unfortunately, after his injury knocked him off course, the hatred built up again.

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Such that, when Atletico Madrid came knocking for the Swiss midfielder’s services, there was a disturbing amount of people willing to see him go, no matter the price. This whole “anything to see him out of the club” is so grossly unfounded, and should be reserved for the likes of Mesut Ozil and Shkodran Mustafi.

In response, Xhaka spoke openly about how much he loved Arsenal, how happy he is here, and how much he would love to be captain. In response, reports have surfaced that Unai Emery could be ready to hand the captaincy to Xhaka in an effort to keep him at the Emirates and eliminate the risk of losing.

Which is f***ing great! I’m so happy to hear that the sensible people know what value he has to this club, even if the… others… don’t. Take it from Olivier Giroud, even if you go unappreciated your entire career at the Emirates, when it’s all said and done, fans will see what they missed.

Xhaka still has so much time to build his reputation and if he continues on the same trajectory he’s been on, then we are ticketed for some special stuff next year. So you better start prepping some industrial-strength hate now.