Arsenal have named Granit Xhaka as their new captain for this season.
Pundit Jamie Redknapp has told the Daily Mail that he’s not even sure Granit Xhaka would get in Arsenal’s best XI, never mind be the best player to be captain.
The Gunners take on Manchester United at Old Trafford tonight, and Xhaka will be playing his first game since being confirmed as their new captain.
Boss Unai Emery had a five-man leadership group last season, headed up by Laurent Koscielny with Petr Cech, Mesut Ozil, Aaron Ramsey and Xhaka below him.
With Koscielny, Cech and Ramsey now gone though, Emery has had to re-tool that leadership group, and he’s gone with Xhaka as main captain this season.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette, Hector Bellerin and Ozil will be the rest of the leadership group, but the decision to appoint Xhaka as captain has been controversial.
The Swiss midfielder has been poor so far this season, with many questioning just what he actually brings to the Arsenal team other than fouling opposition players.
Now, pundit Redknapp has questioned just how the 27-year-old warrants the armband, as he commits too many silly fouls and picks up too many yellow cards, meaning he isn’t captain material.
Redknapp doesn’t even think Xhaka would make Arsenal’s best XI, so can’t believe that Emery has now made him captain.
“Granit Xhaka was named Arsenal captain this week, but can a player who gives away so many silly fouls and picks up so many yellow cards really warrant the armband?” said Redknapp. “We do perhaps put too much emphasis on captains but they are your manager on the pitch and in Unai Emery’s best XI I’m not sure Xhaka would even start,” he added.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
