Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka has been named in a Premier League best XI of the season.
The Swiss midfielder was previously crowned as the Gunners' best player of 2021 by the CIES Football Observatory - and the same football analytics firm have now included him among the top players in the country.
Xhaka is selected as a central midfielder alongside Manchester City star Rodri, with the likes of Harry Kane, Raheem Sterling and Mason Mount among the illustrious names to be included.
Three Manchester City players are named in defence (Ederson Moraes, Rubén Dias and João Cancelo), while Victor Lindelof and Andrew Robertson also feature.
Former Borussia Monchengladbach captain Xhaka had previously ranked seventh among the Premier League outfield players, having featured in almost every Arsenal match since the turn of the year.
CIES say that they use data from Opta to 'take into account the efficiency of players at both an individual and collective level.'
28-year-old Xhaka recently admitted that manager Mikel Arteta is one of the main reasons he stayed at Emirates Stadium, being persuaded to turn down a move to Hertha Berlin after being infamously jeered off during the game against Crystal Palace in October 2019.
“Everyone knows he is one of the reasons why I am still at this club,” he said.
“We have a great relationship. It’s not a surprise that I am playing under every coach,” he added.
“That means I am doing something good.
“I am a team player I'm not selfish. I try to help the team and help the staff and to be an example for the young people in our dressing room.”
Xhaka is not the first player to have been earmarked by The CIES Football Observatory, following in the footsteps of Bukayo Saka whose transfer value was recently estimated between £100million and £130million.
CIES Observatory's Best XI: Ederson, Cancelo, Lindelof, Dias, Robertson, Rodri, Xhaka, Fernandes, Mount, Sterling, Kane.
