Granit Xhaka has opened up on how he would have to think twice if he was offered the Arsenal captaincy again.
The Swiss international was stripped of the Gunners captaincy by former boss Unai Emery after clashing with supporters during his side’s 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace at Emirates back in October.
Xhaka sparked outrage when he aimed expletives at fans, cupped his hands to his ears and stripped off his shirt as he headed straight down the tunnel after being substituted.
But following Emery’s sacking, the midfielder has become a first-team regular under new boss Mikel Arteta, but admits he did fear his Arsenal career was over following the incident.
“Of course, I don’t lie. There was a moment, because it was not easy for me and my family. I hope people understand this,” he told the London Evening Standard.
“But I think I showed my character. I am not a guy who runs away. I always say to the club, ‘When I [am] here, I am ready to give everything’. It was like this always. I train very hard and that things turned around is the key. This [has given me] the most happiness.”
“I know with or without the armband what I can give the team,” he added on the matter. “But in this moment [against Palace] I don’t want to take the armband back, but Sokratis [Papastathopoulos] and David [Luiz] told me I have to take it. If one day the club asks me about the armband, I have to think twice.”
Although returning to form under the Spaniard in recent months, Xhaka has revealed how the last few months have been unlike anything he has experienced before in football.
“I had not so good a time when I was in Germany (with Borussia Monchengladbach) for the first six months because I didn’t play, but this one was something else,” he said.
“This one was not about a player, this was more about a human.
“But I want to think about the future. I know we can have a big future with Mikel, with this club and that is why I am very happy.”
Before Xhaka added on his relationship with Arsenal’s fans: “On one side I understand the fans, because they always want the players to perform, but on the other side they have to understand us as well. It is not always easy.
“I think this is the biggest difference [between] Germany and England, because [here] we don’t have the [close] connection with the fans. In Germany for example, you have open training sessions, [where] the fans come and [talk to you], ask you why.
“Here, everything is closed. So, for me, it would be good this time to explain to the people what is not going good or bad. But it doesn’t matter now. Now we have to enjoy, that’s the most important [thing].”
