Unai Emery has named Granit Xhaka Arsenal’s permanent captain after the Swiss international won a players’ vote for their preferred skipper.
Xhaka replaces Laurent Koscielny after leading the team in six of their eight games this season. Emery consulted with his players before informing the squad this morning ahead of Monday’s game at Manchester United.
Emery has also selected a leadership group to support Xhaka as captain made up of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Hector Bellerin, Alexandre Lacazette and Mesut Ozil.
Xhaka has yet to convince onlookers in the role so far this season and was jeered by his own fans during last weekend’s win over Aston Villa, but Emery is confident the Switzerland international can change opinion.
“Xhaka is mature, he has experience,” the Gunners boss said. “We are living under pressure and criticism; as a coach, as a player, as a club. The most important thing is to stand up in each moment.
“I spoke with him, we want to change that outside opinion [of him]. The respect he has inside is very important. I trust and believe in him. He is a good man, a good professional, a good player.
“Sometimes he has made mistakes but the most important thing is to analyse, to learn and correct those mistakes. He can go ahead with his quality, with his behaviour, with his commitment and the players voted him as the first leadership.”
Emery introduced a pool of five captains following his appointment last summer but saw his original choices reduced by the summer departures of Koscielny, Petr Cech and Aaron Ramsey.
Samson Oyedeyi
