Arteta might’ve found Arsenal’s new Xhaka in gem who’s a “different beast”

It will be truthful to say that this season has not totally gone in response to plan for Arsenal.

Mikel Arteta’s facet have endured suspensions, poor type and a mountain of accidents which have seen them fall six factors behind Premier League leaders Liverpool.

Nonetheless, whereas the Spaniard has needed to cope with a large number of issues, there have been some positives, resembling Bukayo Saka taking one other step ahead and the emergence of squad gamers like Ethan Nwaneri.

Actually, there’s one other participant who’s caught individuals’s consideration this 12 months, a participant who might someday be the membership’s new Granit Xhaka.

Granit Xhaka’s Arsenal profession

Xhaka joined Arsenal from Bundesliga facet Borussia Mönchengladbach in the summertime of 2016 for round £30m, and it could in all probability be correct to say that for his first three or 4 years, he wasn’t a very beloved participant, partially for his tendency to make errors and the shortage of affect he’d have on video games.

This got here to a head in October 2019 when he swore on the Emirates crowd and threw the captain’s armband and shirt to the bottom after being booed when being substituted.

At that time, it appeared like his time in North London was over.

Nonetheless, Arteta was appointed supervisor simply a few months later and satisfied the Swiss worldwide to remain and struggle, which is what he did.

Over the subsequent few years, the tenacious midfielder grew to become increasingly more integral to how the group performed, offering assists, scoring objectives and serving to to manage video games, and it was within the membership’s shock title problem in 22/23 that he reached the zenith of his powers.

Nonetheless, extra stunning than his unimaginable uptick in type was the followers’ response, as by the tip of that marketing campaign, he had his personal music, which was often sung by followers dwelling and away.

After this fairytale redemption, the brand new fan favorite determined to name time on his Arsenal profession and joined Bayer Leverkusen for round £21m final summer season.

Now, it could seem as if Arteta signed Mikel Merino this summer season in a bid to switch Xhaka within the left-eight place, and whereas which will work out for the subsequent few years, there’s an extremely thrilling academy graduate who may very well be his long-term substitute.

Arsenal’s subsequent Xhaka

So, the academy graduate we’re speaking about is none apart from Myles Lewis-Skelly.

The 18-year-old prospect has made a couple of cameo appearances this season and appeared good whereas doing so, however he actually stepped up on Wednesday evening as he made his first Champions League begin for the membership towards AS Monaco and appeared sensational doing so.

Actually, the Islington-born gem was so good that soccer.london’s chief Arsenal author, Kaya Kaynak, awarded him an 8/10 match score at full-time, writing that he appeared extremely ‘completed’ on the ball and ‘confirmed composure past his years’ all through the encounter.

Now, there could also be a few of you scratching your heads and questioning how a younger left-back may very well be the membership’s long-term inheritor to Xhaka, however hear us out.

The very first thing to think about is that, just like the Swiss worldwide, the teen, whom podcaster Will Balsam dubbed a “completely different beast”, appears to have an absolute wand of a left foot, which we noticed on full show when he performed a defence-splitting cross into Gabriel Jesus to arrange the group’s first aim on Wednesday.

The second factor to recollect is that, just like the Leverkusen star, the Hale Ender’s major place is definitely in central midfield, and the very fact he can play on the left of a again 4 – like Xhaka might – is only a bonus.

For instance, throughout his appearances on the junior ranges and within the first group, 26 have are available defensive midfield, and ten have are available central midfield, making it clear the place his major positions are.

Finally, whereas it may very well be a couple of years down the road, ought to Arteta transfer Lewis-Skelly into the left eight, then there’s each probability he may very well be the Gunner’s new Xhaka.