Granit Xhaka's change of heart on his Arsenal future was a dramatic one, and it may have impacted the future of his Gunners teammate Matteo Guendouzi.
Swiss international Xhaka, who recently spoke to the The Players' Tribune, had been prepared to leave north London during the 2019-20 season, after a coming-together with fans during a 2-2 Premier League draw with Crystal Palace. The former Borussia Monchengladbach man was on the verge of a return to the Bundesliga, with his agent saying terms had been agreed with Hertha Berlin.
However, after a significant intervention from manager Mikel Arteta, the midfielder changed his mind and opted to stay. A few months later, Hertha attempted to solve their midfield problem by recruiting Guendouzi, and the French international is now on the verge of a permanent exit having not played for the Gunners in close to two years.
Xhaka delivered a statement to Arsenal supporters after the Palace game in October 2019, admitting he let himself get "carried away" after abuse from some fans. "My wish is that we get back to a place of mutual respect, remembering why we fell in love with this game in the first place," he said.
Nevertheless, he was stripped of the captaincy by then-manager Unai Emery and sat out Arsenal's next three league games. In his absence, Guendouzi remained in the starting line-up against Wolves, Leicester and Southampton.
Were it not for Emery's dismissal and Arteta's conversation with Xhaka, the former Lorient man might have held down a spot in the first-team. Ironically, though, he would end up joining the club who had been days away from bringing in his colleague.
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"When Mikel was appointed in December, I told him that I wanted to leave," Xhaka said in an exclusive interview with The Players' Tribune. "He understood completely.
"We had a second chat a few days later, and when I went in, I had talked it through with my wife. Our suitcases were literally placed by the door. When I have made a decision like that, it is very difficult to change my mind. But then Mikel began to talk about how I was a big part of his plans.
"I liked his warmth. He was honest, straight. Clear plans. I felt I could trust him. He told me to give him six months to prove me wrong, and then if I still wanted to leave, no problem."
Guendouzi's last competitive game for Arsenal came in June 2020, shortly after Project Restart saw them return to Premier League action. He confronted compatriot Neal Maupay at the end of the game, in which Maupay scored a stoppage-time winner from the penalty spot, though he escaped a ban for his actions.
The midfielder later defended his actions, which involved grabbing Maupay around the throat. "It might have shocked a few people, yes, but you know, in the Champions League or in a local match, during the games, there is always a lot of frustration," he told France Football in 2021.
At the start of the 2020-21 season, Guendouzi was left out of Arsenal's matchday squad for their first four games and ended up joining Hertha on a season-long loan. Had Xhaka made a similar move in January, the Bundesliga club may well have decided they didn't need him, but regardless he was sent back to north London after the team narrowly avoided relegation.
Things have gone much better for the 22-year-old this term, though, as he has helped new loan employers Marseille push for Champions League qualification. His performances at Stade Velodrome have been enough to prompt a permanent move, meaning he has already played his last game for Arsenal. However, if Arsenal hadn't appointed Arteta, setting in motion the events which saw Xhaka change his mind, things could have been very different.
