Nathan Tella has revealed that he was disappointed to see Arsenal sell Granit Xhaka in the recent summer transfer window.
Arsenal received £21.4 million from German outfit Bayer Leverkusen in the summer, in exchange for Granit Xhaka.
Xhaka left the Emirates Stadium after seven rollercoaster seasons with the north London club. At times, the 31-year-old’s relationship with the Arsenal fans seemed to be broken beyond any hope of repair. However, after a remarkable turnaround, he left on a high and as a much-loved fan favourite.
In his final season with the Gunners, Xhaka produced his best form. Deployed in a more advanced role by Mikel Arteta, the 117-cap Switzerland international flourished, and racked up nine goals and seven assists.
However, with Declan Rice and Kai Havertz due to join the club, and with Jorginho and Thomas Partey already on the books, the decision was made to allow Xhaka to leave the club.
Tella recalls reaction to Xhaka departure
At the time, this decision did not sit well with Nathan Tella, who was at that point contracted to Southampton. However, the Arsenal-supporting winger has since joined Bayer Leverkusen himself, and is now a teammate of Xhaka’s.
In an interview with German publication Kicker, the 24-year-old has reflected on the experience of watching on from afar as Arsenal and Xhaka parted ways. He said, “when Xhaka left Arsenal in the summer, it hurt me because I knew how good he had done for this team and how much the team needed him.”
Just four weeks after that point, though, Tella and Xhaka were sharing a dressing room.
Arteta is currently seeking to take Arsenal to the next level, and win some major silverware with the club. In the long run, the decision to let the Swiss playmaker go will prove to have been a smart call.
Ultimately, Xhaka had a fine Arsenal career, winning two FA Cups, and left with a legacy that few would have predicted he would end up with.
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