Switzerland captain Granit Xhaka finalised his move from Arsenal to Bayer Leverkusen for £21.5 million.
Xhaka spent seven years at Arsenal making 297 appearances and scoring 23 goals as well as providing 29 assists. He also won two FA Cups.
The Swiss took to social media to thank Arsenal, his teammates, managers and fans for the support during his stay at the club and said he will always be a Gunner.
“Gunners, it’s been some journey – and all that’s left is for me to say thank you. I’ve spent seven years at Arsenal. The club has become such an important part of my life – and it’s not easy to leave. But now is the right time for a new adventure.
“There are so many people I need to thank – the managers I played for, all my teammates and the staff behind the scenes.
“And I especially want to thank all of you. Everyone knows we’ve been through some tough times. But we came through them together – and I’ll never ever forget the feeling I had each time we won the FA Cup or whenever I heard you singing my name. Pure goosebumps!
“I will always carry Arsenal in my heart. Once a Gunner, always a Gunner.” Xhaka shared on his social media pages.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta heaped praises on his departing midfielder, calling him a fantastic player that was loved by all at the club, and thanked him for his contribution during his seven-year stay at the Emirates.
“We are saying goodbye to a fantastic player and person loved by all of us. It has been an incredible journey together for him and he has given absolutely everything for this club. The influence Granit has had on his teammates on the pitch and colleagues at the club will tell you just how popular he is.
“We cannot thank Granit enough for his service and contribution to this club over the years. We wish Granit and his family all the best in the next step of their lives.” Arteta said, as quoted by arsenal.com
Granit Xhaka has been the last player signed by legendary former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger so it is indeed, the end of an era.
