It’s fair to say that since speaking up after the defeat to Newcastle United, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has been getting it from all angles this week.
Former Gunners player Granit Xhaka got on with the manager before he left, and knows him better than most.
The Switzerland midfielder has been speaking to SportBILD about new club Bayer Leverkusen, who he joined in the summer, bringing an end to his seven-year stay at the Emirates.
He’s currently a key player under manager Xabi Alonso, establishing himself as the lynchpin in midfield in more of a defensive role than the one he was playing under Arteta towards the end of his time with the Gunners.
It’s a role he’s been excelling in, helping Leverkusen to the top of the Bundesliga and two points clear of Bayern Munich after ten games of the season.
That performance has only aided the growing reputation Alonso has been building since his arrival at Leverkusen last year, with many touting him for a big future, perhaps at huge clubs such as Liverpool and Real Madrid.
He’s very much one of the up-and-coming managers in Europe, a label that Arteta has earned himself at Arsenal too, but for Xhaka there’s one major difference that separates them.
“They are very similar in mentality and style of play, both are ambitious, purposeful and honest,” he said.
“Arteta shows more on the board, Xabi shows the things himself on the court. He still has the quality to be able to play himself.
“That’s the biggest difference. It’s a privilege for me to be able to play under both of them. This is a gift.”
