Jose Mourinho has instructed Granit Xhaka to get the Covid-19 jab after the Arsenal midfielder tested positive for coronavirus.
The 28-year-old was left out of the Switzerland squad to face Greece on Wednesday evening after being diagnosed earlier in the morning.
Xhaka has not been vaccinated and Roma manager Mourinho, who came close to signing the Swiss midfielder over the summer, has now told him to get jabbed for his own safety.
Commenting on Xhaka's Instagram post, the former Tottenham boss said: "Get the jab Granit and be safe."
The Gunners midfielder's reported choice to not be vaccinated is a controversial one and he has received criticism from some quarters.
However, Swiss FA president Dominique Blanc has sent a message of support to Xhaka, saying: “We stand for respect and tolerance. Therefore we condemn the hostility against Granit Xhaka for not being vaccinated."
As mentioned earlier, Mourinho was close to signing Xhaka from Arsenal in the summer transfer window, with personal terms agreed, but a deal could not be completed because of a disagreement over the fee.
Therefore Xhaka put pen-to-paper on a new long-term contract extension in north London and has played in all three of Arsenal's Premier League games so far this season, but will not face Norwich City.
The Switzerland man will still be in isolation for the trip of the Canaries, but regardless, he is suspended after picking up a straight red card in last weekend's heavy defeat to Manchester City.
Xhaka was sent off for a high challenge on Joao Cancelo, which left Mikel Arteta furious on the sidelines.
Arteta said to BT Sport after the game: "I am (angry) because of the consequences that it had to the team.
"I must say that the line we are being judged with is really, really thin because we have seen actions like that in the first two Premier League games and nothing happened and I am disappointed.
"I am very disappointed with the second goal because of the way that they allowed that goal."
