Granit Xhaka won an ‘invincible double’ with Bayer Leverkusen last season (Photo: Getty)
Granit Xhaka has revealed he still has ‘daily contact’ with several former Arsenal teammates as he prepares to return to the Emirates for the first time since his exit.
The Switzerland international left Arsenal last summer after a seven-year spell to join Bayer Leverkusen.
It turned out to be a brilliant move, with Leverkusen going onto achieve a remarkable ‘invincible double’ – winning the Bundesliga and German Cup without losing a game.
More remarkably, they would lose just one of their 53 games across all competitions, namely the Europa League final to Atalanta.
Xhaka is now back in north London for the first time since the move, with his side set to take on the Gunners in their penultimate pre-season friendly on Wednesday night.
It will be an emotional occasion for the midfielder who went from zero to hero at the Premier League club, losing the captaincy after an on-pitch falling out with the fans before turning around his reputation under Mikel Arteta.
And ahead of the friendly, the 31-year-old revealed he is still very close friends with several current Gunners stars, telling Bild: ‘When you play at a club for seven years, the return is always special.
Xhaka spent seven years at Arsenal (Photo: Getty)
‘Especially because of the people from before. I had a wonderful time at Arsenal and still have daily contact with many of the players and staff.
‘From the team mainly with Thomas Partey, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Gabriel Jesus.
‘I’m looking forward to the game, a very strong opponent. An opponent that we also have to prepare for in the Champions League.’
At the end of last season, Xhaka confessed that he didn’t want Arsenal and Leverkusen to be pitted against each other in the UCL, with the draw to be made at the end of August.
Xhaka made 297 appearances for the Gunners following his £30million move from Borussia Monchengladbach in 2016, helping the team win two FA Cups and two Community Shields.
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