Xhaka departs Arsenal after sealing Bundesliga return

Granit Xhaka has joined Bayer Leverkusen from Arsenal, ending the midfielder's seven-year stay in North London.

The Swiss playmaker, 30, joined the Gunners from Borussia Monchengladbach in 2016 and went on to make 297 appearances for the club.

On signing his five-year contract at Leverkusen, Xhaka said: "I know the Bundesliga inside out and have always watched them from London.

"Leverkusen are a club with an impressive history and ambitious goals. Above all, I see it as a club with a great future.

"The discussions with those responsible were enormously motivating. You are ambitious and want to achieve something — I am very much looking forward to the coming years."

Leverkusen director of sport Simon Rolfes added: "With Granit, we have been able to win over an absolute top professional.

"His footballing quality is known everywhere. But above all, there are few players who, thanks to his outstanding mentality and personality, can lead a team as convincingly as he can."

Swiss international Xhaka won two FA Cups and two Community Shields during a tumultuous time in England.

He was made captain by then-boss Unai Emery in September 2019 but had the armband removed less than two months later after storming down the tunnel.

Mikel Arteta re-introduced the FC Basel academy graduate to the first team following his appointment later that year, with Xhaka playing all but one of Arsenal's top-flight fixtures last term as they tussled with Manchester City for the league title.

He will now link up with former Liverpool and Real Madrid midfielder Xabi Alonso, who guided Leverkusen to seventh in the Bundesliga last term.