Xhaka Leaves Arsenal to Return to Bundesliga with Bayer Leverkusen

After a successful seven-year tenure at Arsenal, Granit Xhaka has bid farewell to the Emirates and joined Bayer Leverkusen, marking his return to the Bundesliga.

The 30-year-old Swiss midfielder initially joined the Gunners from Borussia Monchengladbach in 2016 and made an impressive 297 appearances for the club.

Upon signing a five-year contract with Leverkusen, Xhaka expressed his excitement, stating, “I have a deep understanding of the league and have always followed it closely from London. Leverkusen is a club with a rich history and ambitious aspirations. Above all, I believe it has a bright future ahead.”

Leverkusen’s director of sport, Simon Rolfes, expressed his satisfaction with the signing, saying, “We have managed to acquire the services of an exceptional professional in Granit. His footballing abilities are widely recognized, but what sets him apart is his outstanding mentality and leadership qualities, which make him an inspiring figure for any team.”

During his time in England, Xhaka played a crucial role for Arsenal, winning two FA Cups and two Community Shields. However, his journey was not without its challenges. He was appointed captain by former manager Unai Emery in September 2019 but had the captaincy revoked less than two months later after an incident where he stormed down the tunnel.

After Mikel Arteta took charge later that year, he reintegrated Xhaka into the first team. The Swiss international featured in almost all of Arsenal’s Premier League matches last season as they battled Manchester City for the league title.

Xhaka will now reunite with former Liverpool and Real Madrid midfielder Xabi Alonso, who led Leverkusen to a seventh-place finish in the Bundesliga last season.