Arsenal have had many great players over the years.
The Gunners were among the best clubs in the country two decades ago under Arsene Wenger, but since then, major trophies have been hard to come by.
However, Mikel Arteta has built a terrific squad over the years, and although not all of his key men are still at the club, their contributions cannot be forgotten.
One such player is Granit Xhaka, and Ian Wright thinks he would be perfect now.
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Ian Wright says he wishes Granit Xhaka stayed at Arsenal for two more years
Xhaka spent seven years at Arsenal.
The Swiss international, hailed as ‘brilliant‘ by Micah Richards, was signed by Wenger as a replacement for Mikel Arteta after he retired in 2016.
Xhaka had his ups and downs at Arsenal, but by the time he decided to leave the club, he became a fan favourite at the Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal sold the midfielder to Bayer Leverkusen in 2023, and many people felt that it was the right time for both parties to go their separate ways.
Photo by Jacques Feeney/Offside/Offside via Getty Images
However, Wright has now claimed that he wishes Xhaka stayed for two more years.
While watching Arteta and Xhaka embrace each other after Arsenal beat Sunderland on Saturday, Wright said on Premier League Productions: “He is one of those players that you only wish stayed for a couple more years.
“Because he is somebody that fits perfectly into this Arsenal team and the way this Arsenal team plays and the mentality of it.
“Granit Xhaka is probably one of the guys who instilled a lot of that into these players.”
If you could give a Premier League medal to ONE former Arsenal player, who would it be and why?
Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images Granit Xhaka sends heartfelt message after returning to Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium
Xhaka is adored by Arsenal fans today, and Arteta loves him too.
The midfielder couldn’t play for Sunderland at the Emirates because of an injury, but he still made the trip with his teammates.
Arteta and Xhaka spent a few moments talking after the game, and it was a joy to see them reunited. His Instagram post after the match shows he loved his return too.
The Swiss icon wrote: “Back at the Emirates today with Sunderland – seven beautiful years here that I’ll always carry with me.”
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