Granit Xhaka may not be in contention to be named as the next permanent Arsenal captain, but that is not going to stop the midfielder from taking a leadership role on and off the pitch.
Following the decision to strip Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of the armband back in December as a punishment for another disciplinary issue, Gunners manager Mikel Arteta has entrusted Alexandre Lacazette to skipper the side, although it's only expected to be a short-term solution.
The Frenchman is out of contract in June and the leading candidate to be named the next Arsenal captain appears to be Kieran Tierney having been promoted to the vice-captain role with Arteta confirming the Scotland international is next in line when Lacazette is not on the pitch - as seen when the striker is replaced in games.
READ MORE: What Mikel Arteta did to convince Granit Xhaka to stay at Arsenal amid latest transfer decision
As captain of the Norway national team, Martin Odegaard is also in the frame, whilst goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale recently threw his name into the ring after listing the credentials that would make him the best option to take over from Lacazette ahead of the 2022/23 season.
Similar to Odegaard, Xhaka is also the captain for his national team. In fact, he had the exact same role at club level during the 2019/2020 season only to be stripped of it by former head coach Unai Emery following a row with his own supporters against Crystal Palace as in truly extraordinary scenes at the Emirates Stadium in October 2020, he responded to jeers by cupping his ear towards the fans whilst seemingly swearing at them whilst taking his shirt and storming straight down the tunnel as he was substituted.
Despite the incident, Xhaka has worn the armband on several occasions under Arteta. He did so for the first two games of the season and he finished the 2-1 loss at home to Manchester City on New Year's Day as captain after Lacazette had been substituted.
Although, it has since become clear that the 29-year-old is no longer considered the immediate understudy to the Frenchman which indicates he's not a contender to regain the captaincy on a permanent basis when it comes time for Arteta to make a decision. Not that it will change how Xhaka operates as he made a vow to be one of the leaders in the Arsenal squad.
"Obviously, I am not captain of Arsenal any longer. But I can promise you that I will still act like a captain, even without the armband," he said when speaking exclusively to The Players' Tribune. "That is possible. I get a lot of respect from my teammates and our staff, and I am so thankful for that. I will always help the young guys and take responsibility for our performances."
Xhaka's promise will be music to the ears of Arteta who has often spoken about the need for multiple leaders throughout the squad and this may also suggest the midfielder will be staying put this summer amid talk of joining AS Roma when the transfer window reopens.
