Xhaka ‘one of the signings of the summer’ says Arteta as Arsenal face former captain

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta says Sunderland’s move for former Gunners captain Granit Xhaka was one of the signings of the summer.

The Swiss international spent seven years with Arsenal before leaving for Bayer Leverkusen in 2023 – where he won the Bundesliga.

He returned to the Premier League this summer with newly-promoted Sunderland and has been instrumental in their superb start which sees them fourth in the table going into the sides’ meeting this weekend.

Arteta said: “I loved every minute that we spent together. When Xhaka joined he was in a special moment in his life and his career.

“He made me a better coach, he helped us to develop as a football team and as a club and I will be eternally grateful.

“When he left us it was a unique opportunity for him to come back to his country, to his family and there were certain things that he wanted to experience as well and I believe it was the right moment.

“Now, with the impact he’s having at Sunderland, he is one of the best [summer moves] I would say. I think what they’ve done as a football club as well in the last few years is very impressive, the management and the decisions that they’ve taken and how stable they look and how they have started the season, so really impressive.”

Arsenal are six points clear of Manchester City at the top of the table and could soon have some good news on the injury front.

Gabriel Jesuus is back in training but will not feature this weekend, while Arteta hopes the Brazilian, Kai Havertz, Martin Odegaard, Viktor Gyokeres, Gabriel Martinelli and Noni Madueke could all be back after the upcoming international break.