The Gunners finally have a new captain as club manager Unai Emery, ahead of the super clash against Manchester United on Monday, named Swiss star Granite Xhaka has the club’s new permanent captain.
Xhaka, who joined the Gunners from Borussia Monchengladbach in May 2016, is replacing Laurent Koscielny, who left for Bordeaux in the summer.
Arsenal boss Emery made the decision on Friday, after consulting with players.
It was also concluded that the Switzerland international, who has taken the armband six times already this season, will be supported by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Hector Bellerin, Alexandre Lacazette, and Mesut Ozil as fellow members of the leadership group.
Former PSG coach Emery has wasted no time in revealing why he felt that the 27-year-old Xhaka is the best man for the job.
“First, he is mature and he has experience and we are all living all the time under pressure, under criticism as coaches, as players, as a club,” Emery told arsenal.com, reports Soccernet.ng.
“The most important thing is to stand up in each moment, go ahead and [for him] to show his quality, with his behaviour, with his commitment and in the dressing room the players voted for him as the first.
“After, I spoke with him and we want to change that opinion outside because that respect that he has inside the dressing room is very, very important. And also keep moving ahead, playing, improving, and with behaviour, and his commitment. Each match for him, for me, for everybody, is a very good opportunity to show our capacity.
“I trust and believe in him and he is a good man, a good professional and a good player. Sometimes he has made a mistake, yes, but the most important thing is to analyse, to learn and to correct that in the future.
“His challenge, and our challenge, is to change that opinion and above all, show personality and improve in each match and give us his help every time. The first match is on Monday at Manchester United.”