£30m Arsenal star is having fun with a Granit Xhaka-like redemption arc

The Arsenal captaincy has been one thing of a poisoned chalice over the past 20 years.

Within the case of William Gallas, he was one thing of a sulker. That sport towards Birmingham in February 2008 is unfortunately remembered extra for Eduardo’s damage however as Arsenal’s hopes of profitable the title took an enormous blow, the French defender seemingly refused to depart the pitch on the finish of the sport.

The Cesc Fabregas and Robin van Persie sagas didn’t finish properly both. Cesc headed to Barcelona and Van Persie moved to Manchester United in essentially the most controversial of circumstances.

Mikel Arteta and Per Mertesacker had been the mannequin professionals however Laurent Koscielny and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang hardly left in harmonious circumstances.

The centre-back was seen ripping off an Arsenal shirt in his announcement video when he moved to Bordeaux whereas Aubameyang was stripped of the captaincy and advised to pack his baggage after various misdemeanors.

No state of affairs was as dramatic as Granit Xhaka‘s, nonetheless.

How Granit Xhaka bounced again from the verge of an Arsenal exit

The 12 months is 2019, the month is October. Xhaka, the ever-polarising determine had merely had sufficient. So had the followers.

As he was substituted by Unai Emery in a conflict with Crystal Palace, he was jeered and booed off by the house assist. Xhaka had a proper to answer nevertheless it was a heated second. He ripped the armband off and threw it on the ground. He was fuming with the response.

Unsurprisingly, Emery selected to strip him of the captaincy altogether. It is a second that the Swiss midfielder later admitted almost noticed him go away north London behind.

“After I shut my eyes now, I can nonetheless see their faces. I can see their anger,” he advised the Gamers’ Tribune. “The passports had been out. I used to be performed with Arsenal. Completed.”

He had all the time been an inconsistent determine, relationship again to the Arsene Wenger days when his ill-discipline actually value him. ‘If that was Xhaka, it might have been a pink’ was the phrase frequently used all through the Premier League.

But, one of the outstanding redemption arcs performed out and it was largely because of a former Gunners captain in Arteta. Now supervisor of this nice membership, he look a liking to Xhaka. Xhaka took a liking to the Spaniard too.

From the brink of packing all of it in, it did not take lengthy for the midfield common to turn out to be a key a part of the furnishings. That 2022/23 season will stay lengthy within the reminiscence.

Granted permission to play additional ahead within the quantity 8 function, Xhaka loved one of many best particular person seasons of his profession, scoring 9 targets and supplying seven assists in all competitions. He was now a agency fan favorite; redemption was full.

Nonetheless, simply as he’d turn out to be one thing of a cult hero within the capital, he took his go away. Bayer Leverkusen and Xabi Alonso got here calling. He went onto win the Bundesliga. With Arsenal profitable the Premier League final season, it might seem each events received their completely happy ending.

Now, within the current day, the same redemption arc seems to be enjoying out.

Arsenal’s modern-day Granit Xhaka has emerged

Within the current day, this story includes Alonso once more. He is now not the supervisor of Leverkusen, now not answerable for Xhaka. He’s at Chelsea and Arteta gave him a lesson in teaching on this division on Sunday.

In that sport, the Gunners did go a aim down however they responded emphatically, first by former Chelsea man Kai Havertz after which by skipper Martin Odegaard.

We talked about the armband has been a little bit of a curse over the past 20 years and the Norwegian has maybe felt that burden.

Named captain in July 2022, he has led the group for over 4 years now. Even with the arrival of Declan Rice, the gamers continued to vote him as captain. It is a testomony to his folks expertise, to his affect, to his management behind the scenes.

The Norwegian is just not an in-yer-face chief however on the pitch, he actually units the tone. We noticed that towards Chelsea.

Nonetheless, like the center levels of Xhaka’s Arsenal profession, Odegaard has not had all of it his personal means on the Emirates. Regardless of lifting the title again in Could, there have been strategies that the Gunners could possibly be prepared to money in on their quantity 8 this summer time.

Why? Properly, his performances in recent times have been far too inconsistent. In 2024/25, he scored simply six targets in all competitions. Final marketing campaign, the 27-year-old solely scored as soon as.

Supporters had been getting agitated. With Odegaard within the group they lacked a spark, they lacked an explosive ring chief, a participant like Kevin De Bruyne to actually make issues occur within the ultimate third.

Properly, in 2026/27, the previous Actual Madrid man is having fun with one thing of a Xhaka-like redemption. Followers had been on his again however he has began the brand new season with flying colors. He seems to be like he is within the type of his life.

As Arteta mentioned post-game: “He’s having fun with his soccer. His private life is settled, he’s obtainable, he’s coaching, he has his routine.” That has all made an enormous distinction.

After a superb World Cup with Norway, Odegaard’s type has solely received higher. He has three targets in his first 4 matches this season, together with his most emphatic but approaching Sunday.

Darting onto the tip of Christos Tzolis’ go, Odegaard took a contact after which hammered the ball previous Emiliano Martinez. It was a stunning aim.

Positive, supporters might by no means have been on his again fairly like they had been with Xhaka however there had been requires him to be offered after various disappointing season.

Now, nonetheless, he’s again to his finest, plundering targets dwelling from midfield simply as his former Swiss colleague did in 2022/23. It has been an immense restoration from the £30m signing.