Xhaka is now one of the most influential players in the Premier League, but just seven years ago his career in England’s top flight seemed over.
Then at Arsenal the fans were disappointed with some of his poor performances and he sometimes found himself the target of booing.
The taunts eventually became too much for Xhaka, and after being jeered when substituted during a draw with Crystal Palace in October 2019, he taunted his fans by cupping his ears.
Then manager Unai Emery stripped Xhaka of the club’s captaincy and his departure seemed only a matter of time.
But Xhaka dug in and instead turned things around superbly after Emery was replaced by Mikel Arteta, winning the fans’ support with his leadership and combative performances as he returned the Arsenal captain’s armband to FA Cup glory in 2020.
“You could always hear him,” Theo Walcott, Xhaka’s Arsenal teammate, said earlier on Match of the Day.
“No matter where you were on the training ground, you could hear him talking to someone – whether it was a member of the staff, a younger player or a more experienced player, and he was like that on the first day.”
This was followed by a move to Bayer Leverkusen, where he helped the German club go unbeaten on their way to a league and cup double, before returning to the Premier League last summer with newly promoted Sunderland.
There he played a key role in helping the Black Cats not only avoid immediate relegation to the Championship, but surprise everyone by finishing seventh and securing a Europa League spot for the coming season.
“Going to Germany really helped,” Walcott added.
“It really elevated his level of leadership.”
His performances attracted the attention of Chelsea in the summer, but rather than move to a club more likely to qualify for a Champions League spot next season, he reaffirmed his commitment to Sunderland.
“He is the most influential player in the North East since Kevin Keegan at Newcastle in 1982,” North East football journalist Ian Murtagh told BBC Radio Newcastle.
“I’m not saying he’s necessarily the best, but in terms of influence, in terms of raising standards, in terms of communication with teammates, I think there are huge similarities between them – even though they’re 40 years apart.”