Xhaka made me a better coach, says Arteta ahead of reunion at Sunderland

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta on Friday credited Granit Xhaka for making him a better coach after rescuing the Switzerland midfielder's career when he was on the verge of leaving following a bitter falling out with the London club's fans.

Xhaka had been stripped of the Arsenal captaincy under former manager Unai Emery after he angrily gestured at supporters who jeered him at a game in 2019.

However, when Arteta took over mid-season, he revived both the player's fortunes and his relationship with the Arsenal faithful before Xhaka earned a move in 2023 to Bayer Leverkusen where he won the Bundesliga title and German Cup.

"I loved every minute we spent together. When I joined, he was in a special moment of his life and career," Arteta told reporters ahead of Saturday's game at Sunderland.

"Between all of us, we tried to guide him, to give him a different perspective, to make him feel loved and valued, and he responded in an incredible way."

ARTETA 'ETERNALLY GRATEFUL' TO XHAKA

"He made me a better coach. He helped us to develop and improve a lot as a team and a club," Arteta added. "I will be eternally grateful because I have great memories with him."

Despite the midfielder's rocky relationship with supporters, Arteta insisted the club always valued Xhaka internally, describing him as a transformative dressing-room presence.

"I am laughing because I just visualised Granit and it makes me laugh because he was such a character, a huge personality, very funny, super professional," Arteta added.

"One of those guys who can change the spirit of a dressing room and a team. That's a superpower to have.

"It wasn't an easy decision (to let him leave) because I knew the impact he could still have. But then when you have one of those leaders, you