Arsenal's Granit Xhaka delighted to be working under Arsene Wenger
Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka says he has been impressed by Arsene Wenger's "insane charisma," but revealed that the Gunners manager has only spoken to him a few times since joining the club.
Xhaka, 23, became Arsenal's first summer signing in May in a £30 million deal from Borussia Monchengladbach and has had an impressive start to life in the Premier League.
However, the Switzerland international admitted to being "very nervous" when he first arrived to meet both Wenger and his new teammates.
"He has an incredible way, an insane charisma," Xhaka said of Wenger in an interview with Apenzeller Zeitung. "You look at him and know: 'Wow, this man has achieved and experienced so much.' The respect for him is enormous."
Xhaka added Wenger normally takes a hands-off approach when it comes to giving instructions to the Arsenal players.
"He's not a coach who speaks to you every day. Wenger has spoken to me two or three times," Xhaka said. "He's told me he's very impressed by how I train and how I'm a disciplined character."
Xhaka is expected to form a central-midfield partnership with Santi Cazorla this season, sitting deeper behind playmaker Mesut Ozil to help both shield the defence and instigate attacks.
And while he arrives with a big price tag, he said he still has plenty to learn from his new teammates.
Granit Xhaka arrived at Arsenal from Borussia Monchengladbach in the summer."I have to admit that in the first few days there was an undeniable nervousness," he said. "You can see the players are world-class just by the way they pass the ball. Ozil, Sanchez and Cazorla for example, are huge personalities. Even though the club maybe spent more money on me, I can still learn a lot from them, in any respect.
"The work ethic and the ambition are impressive. You can't afford to rest on your laurels at all or you'll instantly be on the bench. Every training session, every sprint, every exercise must be done to the best your ability."
Xhaka joined up with his new team after Euro 2016 and was part of their tour to the United States in July, where he said he "became aware of the global perception of Arsenal."
"Everywhere we went there were huge crowds waiting, that's when you can grasp the incredible size of this club," he said.
Xhaka also revealed a bit about what it is like behind the scenes at Arsenal, including when it comes to the club's efforts to keep players healthy.
The Gunners have long been criticised for their injury record, but Xhaka said no efforts are spared when it comes to looking after the squad's fitness.
"Arsenal prepare the players in the best way," he said. "They pay attention to every detail. We are able to recover optimally during our flights. The food and the service, everything's geared perfectly to each other.
"Every Monday we're asked to undertake jump tests, to check the conditions of our muscles. There's nothing you can hide. Once a week they do urine tests and your body fat percentage is tested regularly. The doctors cover all bases."
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Xhaka, 23, became Arsenal's first summer signing in May in a £30 million deal from Borussia Monchengladbach and has had an impressive start to life in the Premier League.
However, the Switzerland international admitted to being "very nervous" when he first arrived to meet both Wenger and his new teammates.
"He has an incredible way, an insane charisma," Xhaka said of Wenger in an interview with Apenzeller Zeitung. "You look at him and know: 'Wow, this man has achieved and experienced so much.' The respect for him is enormous."
Xhaka added Wenger normally takes a hands-off approach when it comes to giving instructions to the Arsenal players.
"He's not a coach who speaks to you every day. Wenger has spoken to me two or three times," Xhaka said. "He's told me he's very impressed by how I train and how I'm a disciplined character."
Xhaka is expected to form a central-midfield partnership with Santi Cazorla this season, sitting deeper behind playmaker Mesut Ozil to help both shield the defence and instigate attacks.
And while he arrives with a big price tag, he said he still has plenty to learn from his new teammates.
Granit Xhaka arrived at Arsenal from Borussia Monchengladbach in the summer."The work ethic and the ambition are impressive. You can't afford to rest on your laurels at all or you'll instantly be on the bench. Every training session, every sprint, every exercise must be done to the best your ability."
Xhaka joined up with his new team after Euro 2016 and was part of their tour to the United States in July, where he said he "became aware of the global perception of Arsenal."
"Everywhere we went there were huge crowds waiting, that's when you can grasp the incredible size of this club," he said.
Xhaka also revealed a bit about what it is like behind the scenes at Arsenal, including when it comes to the club's efforts to keep players healthy.
The Gunners have long been criticised for their injury record, but Xhaka said no efforts are spared when it comes to looking after the squad's fitness.
"Arsenal prepare the players in the best way," he said. "They pay attention to every detail. We are able to recover optimally during our flights. The food and the service, everything's geared perfectly to each other.
"Every Monday we're asked to undertake jump tests, to check the conditions of our muscles. There's nothing you can hide. Once a week they do urine tests and your body fat percentage is tested regularly. The doctors cover all bases."
LIKE US ON FACEBOOK || FOLLOW US ON TWITTER || JOIN US ON INSTAGRAM
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