This archive report was first published on 9 November 2019.
On October 27, a heated exchange between Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka and home fans at the Emirates Stadium led to the Swiss international being stripped of the captain's armband. The incident has left the team's future uncertain, with manager Unai Emery stating that he is unsure whether Xhaka will play again for the club.
As of November 8, Xhaka had not played since the incident, and Emery told reporters that he had asked not to be picked for the upcoming Premier League match at Leicester City. The manager emphasized that the team would wait until Xhaka is in the right frame of mind to play again, but later indicated that he could not be certain that would happen.
"We need a player like Granit Xhaka. But also, I don't know if he's going to play again," Emery said in a statement to the BBC. "I don't know if he is available in his mind to continue helping us and continuing defending the Arsenal shirt."
Regarding a possible transfer in the January window, Emery stated that he was not thinking about it, as it was only November. He emphasized that the club would continue to speak with Xhaka and decide how to proceed.
With on-loan midfielder Dani Ceballos also injured and unavailable, Emery mentioned that Mesut Ozil, who has played only twice in the league this season, was in contention for the upcoming match.
"(Ozil) is training well and I think he is now being consistent in the training, he is also helping and being positive. I am thinking he has a possibility to play tomorrow," Emery said.
The captain's armband has been passed to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who Emery believes is the right choice due to his experience and respect within the dressing room.
