Arsenal fans have never stopped loving their new sensation Granit Xhaka, who made his first appearance for Switzerland at the Euro 2016. His awesome performance was crowned with a £35m move to the Emirates from Borussia Monchengladbach in May.
Image: Granit Xhaka in action for Arsenal.
Following his successful transfer deal after the European Championships, the midfielder settled quickly to life as a Gunner and fans are tirelessly singing his praises.
He told Arsenal Magazine shortly after his arrival in September: “I’m not somebody who gives up. I love playing football, I always want the ball and I’m not scared to play a risky pass.
“I’m a fighter too, and I think that’s a big advantage to have in the Premier League.
“I need that love from the fans and I need trust from all sides.
“I’ve really noticed that on tour in California. I went to an event and the fans there already had a song for me. I hadn’t even played a game for Arsenal at that point, so it showed that they have expectations.”
He continued: “I will give my absolute everything in every game to try and give something back to them.
“Maybe not everything will work out for me, but one thing they need to know is that I will always give my all.
“That’s the sort of person I’ve always been. I read some of the comments and it makes me proud to know that they expect a lot from me.
“I hope I can bring my mentality and some of what I’ve learnt in the past to this squad. I really hope this will be a successful season.”
Arsenal fans have had no reason to doubt Xhaka, and the player says their support is an invaluable motivation for him.
Though Arsenal fans has been described as “hard-to-please” critics believe they’ve found no fault with the midfielder because he’s just too good.
“I’m very pleased with the fans’ support,” Xhaka told Sky Sports. “It’s been amazing the way they’ve supported the whole team and me.
“The fans are amazing, I’m really happy here at Arsenal and I’m going to do my best for this club.
“London is really nice and I’m really happy here but, of course, I’ve moved here to play football and not just to be in the city.
“I’m happy with how it’s gone so far and I’m really satisfied with my first couple of months here and I’m enjoying being at Arsenal.”
Arsenal.com said indiscipline is one of the player’s major concerns. He has passion for victory, and was cajoled in the past for shouting at a teammate on the pitch.
Xhaka is a fighter in the likes of Viera and Flamini.
Stylistically, Xhaka is probably most similar to Flamini, an all-action defensive midfielder, but he offers a blend of attributes and is excellent at keeping possession, rather than simply regaining it.
First and foremost, the 23-year-old is an extremely powerful footballer capable of commanding the midfield zone. He’s strong and boasts a good positional sense, but also a mobile midfielder who likes shutting down opponents quickly, and makes plenty of tackles.
One thought on “Granit Xhaka: I’m grateful to “amazing” Arsenal fans”