Granit Xhaka has opened the door to taking the Arsenal captaincy once again after having the armband stripped from him after the Crystal Palace incident in 2019. Unai Emery made the decision but Mikel Arteta will have a choice to make on who will be the visible leader of the team next season.
"I will never say never. I was not ready for that again,” he told Sky Sports. "A captain of Arsenal can be without an armband, and I am trying to lead the game and the players without the armband, but if tomorrow someone from the football club comes and asks if I want to take it I will be here because I know I am ready again to do it."
However, this decision has split the fan base. Furthermore, it has divided football.london’s Arsenal writers, and below Bailey, Chris and Tom have given their thoughts on whether they would be open to the captain’s armband returning to Xhaka.
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Bailey Keogh - Arsenal Fan Brands Writer/Presenter
There are three reasons why Xhaka should not be given the captaincy. The first reason is due to his history with the armband, the second is that his future at the club is not guaranteed, and finally Arsenal already has the ideal future captain in Martin Odegaard.
Arsenal’s two previous captains have been stripped of the role due to disciplinary issues, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang departing the club in the January transfer window and Xhaka losing the captaincy in 2019. There has been a captaincy curse placed on Arsenal which Xhaka has played a major part in and for that reason should not be reintroduced into that role.
It is also possible he will not be staying at the club for long, as football.london understands that Roma are expected to make a fresh attempt to sign Granit Xhaka at the end of the season. With the midfielder also being 29-years-old it means he will soon start to see a dip as he goes on to his thirties, which would put his place in the squad in jeopardy and it is imperative that the captain is the first name on the team sheet.
Odegaard’s importance to the side has been shown by Arteta as the Spaniard has made him the club captain in recent matches. He has already shown his leadership on the pitch for the Gunners without wearing the armband, and he could be made the permanent skipper for next season. Arsenal needs to break the captain curse, and if there is a player to do so it will be Odegaard and not Xhaka.
Tom Canton - Arsenal Fan Brands Writer/Presenter
He wouldn’t be my first choice. However, I find it hard to say that I would not be entirely against the idea. What happened in 2019, I understand. I understood Granit Xhaka's reaction before coming out in interviews to explain his actions. I don’t agree with what he did, however, I get it.
Had my family been abused, my unborn child at the time, targeted by my own supporters I would be angry. So I understand why what happened, happened. It has taken time, but I believe Xhaka has shown consistently that he will give everything for Arsenal and that he has the respect of his teammates and the staff. And a leader needs those qualities, in fact, they’re imperative.
Martin Odegaard for me is a long-term captain of this club. Odegaard has joined with a mature head, plenty of years at the elite level and gone on a journey as both a player and person before his arrival in north London that has taught him leadership qualities. He gets Arsenal like Xhaka but has longevity about him.
Xhaka and long-term are always a question and hence why his role as captain is less sure in my mind. But the door for me is not closed on the Swiss midfielder taking the armband back again.
Chris Davison - Arsenal Fan Brands Writer/Presenter
Although Xhaka definitely has valuable leadership qualities, I think his time to be a permanent captain of this football club has been and gone. There are perhaps better personalities within the squad to take up the role, such as Martin Odegaard and Kieran Tierney, but Granit's experience can without a doubt still play a crucial role for the younger players in particular.
I would, for example, be open to him receiving the armband if the aforementioned names aren't in the squad or on the pitch. We saw Odegaard pass it over when he was substituted yesterday and it can be beneficial to have a more senior head lead the team in the final moments of a match, which Xhaka can do perfectly.
As we all know, his relationship with the fanbase has been rocky and although he is starting to earn deserved recognition now, one bad performance or another red card as permanent captain could soon bring back old memories for the Swiss international.
The role Granit has now is fine as it is; following those around him, concentrating on his game and leading the team when necessary. He may not even be here next season amid interest from Roma, so it's important not to get ahead of ourselves.
