Granit Xhaka has not been the official Arsenal captain since his controversial incident against Crystal Palace in 2019. Unai Emery made the choice to strip the Swiss midfielder of the armband, and the event nearly ended Xhaka’s Gunners career.
However, Mikel Arteta worked hard to convince Xhaka to stay at Arsenal, and it would be fair to describe his time under the Spaniard as his most successful and best years. His errors and deficiencies remain, but he owns them and has instead emphasised all the strengths that he brings to the team.
Leadership, in particular, was one of those traits. Speaking ahead of the release of episodes 4-6 of Amazon’s All or Nothing series, which features behind-the-scenes footage of Xhaka’s reaction to his red card against Liverpool in the League Cup semi-final, football.london hears from Xhaka that the captain’s armband is not something he needs nor believes in.
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"Of course, you don't need it", Xhaka replied. "Everyone can see the leaders in this team. Of course, you need a captain for the team when we need him."
"But I don't believe a lot in the armband. At the moment I have a feeling that it's not only one but a lot of people who are so good in this team who can speak with, and they will help you. This is what makes a big difference at the moment."
Pushed further on whether more is made of the armband outside the club than within it, both Xhaka and Aaron Ramsdale agreed. Xhaka responded, "Absolutely."
Ramsdale interjects to add, "He's integral to our group, playing or not playing. When he was injured at the start of last season, you could feel his presence in the changing room.
"You can feel his presence when he's playing. I think the captaincy is blown out of proportion. That comes from what's happened here with having a few captains in the last few years.
"But then you've got the likes of Rob Holding, another who, when he isn't playing, is someone everyone talks to. You've got leaders who just do it on the pitch.
Ramsdale says he and Xhaka have clashed in the past. However, the England keeper highlights that Xhaka's character as a leader means once they step off the playing field and any bad feeling is not brought in.
"We've had a few arguments on the pitch, me and Granit, but a type of person who can be a great leader is someone who just forgets about it when you get in the changing room. He'll have different ways to speak to different people.
"It gets the best out of me and him together when we have a little argument. We get back in the changing room, and everything is fine.
"But the other lads see that out on the pitch, and it might just be a simple passing drill or tactical session, you've got two people shouting at each other, and it raises the standards of everyone. There are five or six captains in the dressing-room, and they all speak different languages. Big Gabby doesn't speak much English, but with the Portuguese and Brazilian lads, he's definitely someone who has a voice."
Xhaka has still worn the armband on several occasions since, and Martin Odegaard, the current club captain, handed it to him after being substituted against Crystal Palace on Friday. Xhaka helped his side see out a 2-0 victory.
He was also spotted giving the team talk during the Emirates Cup win over Sevilla instead of Odegaard on the field. It seems quite clear that despite the Norwegian being named the official captain, unofficially at least, Xhaka remains the man on the field leading Mikel Arteta's team.
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