Ex-Arsenal star hits out at media lies over summer exit and reveals why transfer was made ‘easier’
Former Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka has hit back at claims that his wife pushed him to leave the Premier League giants during the summer.
The 31-year-old’s spell at the Emirates was a rollercoaster as his hot-headed nature got the better of him on some occasions.
Xhaka overcame his troubles to shine for the Gunners last season as they mounted a serious challenge for the Premier League title.
The centre-midfielder grabbed seven goals and seven assists in the Premier League last season but he decided to leave the club during the summer transfer window.
The Switzerland international joined Arsenal from Bundesliga side Borussia Monchengladbach in 2016 and he has returned to Germany, with Bayer Leverkusen signing him for a fee in the region of £21m.
In a fresh interview, Xhaka has rubbished suggestions regarding his wife telling him to return to Germany as “she was very happy in London”.
“It was sometimes written that I was coming back to Germany because of my wife. That’s not the truth,” Xhaka said via Fussball Transfers. “Like me, she was very happy in London.”
Xhaka has also suggested that his summer transfer was made “easier” because they are back living near to “where his wife grew up”.
“I didn’t come to Leverkusen as a boss… but because I was looking for a new challenge,” Xhaka added.
“I felt like my time at Arsenal was over after seven years in London. I came here as an experienced player and person. My teammates see that I can give them something of what I have learned. That’s part of my role here.”
He continued: “I made the decision solely as a footballer and athlete. I came to a top club in Germany that has a plan and wants to achieve something.
“Of course, the change was easier for us because we used to live in Düsseldorf, and Mönchengladbach is nearby, where my wife grew up.”
Earlier this summer, Gunners head coach Mikel Arteta revealed how Xhaka’s exit came about.
“There are three parts to this”, Arteta told reporters.
“He had a very clear desire that it was the right time and a big opportunity for him personally to move there. We had that conversation and in the end, we all agreed that it was the right thing to move forward.”
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