Juma Bah: The baker turned towering defender hoping to be City's future leader

Biggest winners & losers from the Champions League last 16

Four games in 12 days: Where Chelsea-City will be won & lost

The new Ghana kits are out of this world

Madrid are unkillable! UCL luck is shining on Real yet again

Editors' Picks

Pique 'brought to tears' at trial over alleged fraud and corruption

Barca look to avoid Messi issue with Yamal amid contract talks 

Dele thanked by Brentford's Norgaard for sleeping pill admission 

Tuchel, what are you thinking?! Winners & losers from first England squad

Mbappe beats Ronaldo! France hero overtakes Madrid legend

'Serious mistake' - Fabregas slams Dele for Como red card

Man City lost belief after Khusanov own goal, claims Gundogan

Fernandes fires back at Ratcliffe over 'overpaid' comments

Article continues belowArticle continues belowArticle continues below<script type="application/json" data-placement="fcplayer-semantic">{"type":"fcplayer-semantic","data":{"embedCode":"//cdn.fcp.codes/embed-code-template/embed-code-template.js#SEMANTIC_5704afb8-c10b-4ba5-9cb4-d7fb6098ef90"}}</script><ul><li>Xhaka enjoying his time with German champions</li><li>Said he took 'two steps forward' by joining Leverkusen</li><li>Warns Bayern they want more success in 2024-25</li></ul>

Granit Xhaka aims brutal dig at Arsenal after 'special' start to life at Bayer Leverkusen while sending ominous warning to Bayern Munich

Premier League

Arsenal

Chelsea

Bundesliga

VfB Stuttgart

Bayer Leverkusen

The Swiss international could not have asked for a better start to his stint at Leverkusen as he lifted the <a href="https://www.goal.com/en/lists/xabi-alonso-double-granit-xhaka-bayer-leverkusen-beat-kaiserslautern-dfb-pokal-final-to-end-historic-season/blt8c19b29a11502dde" target="_blank">domestic double - the Bundesliga and the DFB-Pokal </a>- in his debut campaign. He emerged as a key figure in midfield under the tutelage of Xabi Alonso and has now claimed that his decision to leave the Gunners has been a progressive step in his career.

WHAT HAPPENED?

Speaking to German outlet<a href="https://m.bild.de/sport/fussball/bayer-leverkusen-xhaka-kaempft-um-tah-verbleib-er-weiss-dass-wir-meister-sind-66a8ec8752de4423accd31dd?t_ref=https%3A%2F%2Fapp.clickup.com%2F4653636%2Fv%2Fl%2F6-900900727790-1" target="_blank"> Bild,</a> Xhaka said: "For me, it was not a step back, but rather two steps forward. Because I had the exact feeling, during discussions with the coach and with Simon Rolfes, that something special could happen here in the next few years."

WHAT XHAKA SAID

The reigning German champions are struggling to hold on to<a href="https://www.goal.com/en/lists/jonathan-tah-warned-think-twice-about-joining-bayern-munich-lothar-matthaus/blt8b59a50a9573f766" target="_blank"> Jonathan Tah as Bayern Munich have been enticing the defender</a> with a lucrative transfer offer. The German international has already allegedly turned down an extension offer from Leverkusen but the move still hangs in the air as the <a href="https://www.goal.com/en/lists/man-utd-matthijs-de-ligt-delay-bayern-munich-jonathan-tah-bayer-leverkusen/blt920bae0cc228da7a" target="_blank">Bavarians have not matched the asking price.</a> And Xhaka is giving his all to convince Tah to rebuff the allures of Bayern and continue at Bay Arena."Everyone knows that Bayern is a very big club. And big clubs want the biggest players. That should also be an honour for Jonathan," he said."We know what he means to our team. He also knows where Leverkusen stands today. He also knows that we won the championship last year. That is his decision. We would like to keep Jona with us. He makes a great impression, not at all thinking about anything else. He is very focused. Just like I got to know him last season. Of course, we all hope that he stays with us."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Xhaka's recent comments are unlikely to go down well with the Gooners and the former Arsenal man might be handed a hostile reception at the Emirates when he visits north London for a friendly on August 7. He has "completely recovered" from a torn abductor muscle in his left thigh that he picked up during the European Championship and is gunning for more glory ahead of the new campaign."We want even more. Not just this year, but of course we want to be at the top in the coming years," the Leverkusen star added in another clear warning to Bayern.

WHAT NEXT FOR XHAKA?

Granit Xhaka aims brutal dig at Arsenal after 'special' start to life at Bayer Leverkusen while sending ominous warning to Bayern Munich | Goal.com

Granit Xhaka aimed a brutal dig at Arsenal after getting off to a &quot;special&quot; start to life at Bayer Leverkusen.

Granit Xhaka aims brutal dig at Arsenal after &apos;special&apos; start to life at Bayer Leverkusen while sending ominous warning to Bayern Munich

Next matches