Granit Xhaka has opened up about the two conversations he had with Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta after the ex-Gunners captain seemingly burned his bridges at the Emirates Stadium. The Switzerland midfielder will be reunited with his old boss and team-mates for the first time since his surprise move to Sunderland this summer.

Xhaka, 33, departed the Gunners in the summer of 2023, where he moved to Bayer Leverkusen. But he looked destined for the exit door around four seasons prior, when he was substituted to cacophony of boos in north London and stripped off the captaincy after.

Any hope of a reconciliation between player and supporter base looked scant, as he was even refusing to apologise to the supporters for his reaction. However, the midfielder eventually won back his place and became a vital cog for Arteta, when he replaced Unai Emery in December 2019.

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