Granit Xhaka arrived the Emirates stadium amidst much fanfare and aplomb having completed a £35 million move. The Arsenal fans were all excited about the thought of having the then Borussia Mönchengladbach star in our ranks.
Having recorded a brilliant performance for Switzerland at the Euro 2016 where he played every minute of the campaign, he made his entry to the Premier League in style, and rumours have it that demand for tickets for subsequent Arsenal games skyrocketed.
He did make his Premier League debut in the club’s opening game of the season. However, it was far from the type of start one would wish for, as we recorded a 4-3 defeat to Liverpool, with Xhaka receiving his first yellow for his troubles.
He has passed that phase now, since he has hit the ground running, forming an integral part of the midfield which is inundated with players at the moment. He recorded 4 goals and 2 assists for club last season, but all this would not have been done without the help of his teammates.
This he is quick to highlight in his recent interview:
“I think one big advantage I have here is that I’m not alone, because I’ve got my fiancee with me. She helps me, she supports me at all times and that’s really beneficial for me.
“The lads helped me to settle too. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was the first to get in contact with me. He told me that he was pleased that I’d joined. He gave me his number too and let me know that if there was ever anything I needed, to let him know and he would try to help.
“For me that was an important sign because it can be challenging when you first join a club. When I joined Monchengladbach, I wasn’t sure of where to go sometimes or where to get things.
“Alex was really useful with that. Then there’s the German players too, like Shkodran, Mesut and Per, with whom it’s a bit easier to communicate.”