I was done with Arsenal – Granit Xhaka reveals how close he came to Gunners exit

Granit Xhaka has explained in detail how close he came to leaving Arsenal during the 2019-20 season and revealed his desire to achieve “something special” at the club.

The Swiss international spoke at length to the Players Tribune about his heated exchange with the Gunners supporters two-and-a-half years ago during a match with Crystal Palace that saw him on the verge of signing for another club in the 2020 winter transfer window.

Xhaka had his bags packed and passport ready but the arrival of current boss Mikel Arteta – two months after he had been booed by Arsenal fans as he was substituted against Palace which saw the midfielder react angrily and throw his shirt to the floor – produced a sudden change of heart.

“I was done with Arsenal. Finished. There was a contract on the table from another club and all I had to do was sign. I had talked with my wife, Leonita, and we had decided to leave,” Xhaka told the Players Tribune.

“When Mikel was appointed in December, I told him that I wanted to leave. 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.”

Xhaka had been stripped of the captaincy after his stand-off with supporters at the Emirates but was able to become a key figure again under Arteta and subsequently played his part in the club’s FA Cup success later in 2020.

A