Xhaka feels right at home at Arsenal

Granit Xhaka has taken a while to warm up at Arsenal, but admitted the club is beginning to feel like home after making a return to where his career started on Tuesday.

The midfielder, signed for £30m over the summer, has yet to cement a regular first-team place with the Gunners after finding himself rotated in and out of the side.

But he capitalised on his start against FC Basel, the club for which he made his senior debut in 2010, as Arsenal finished top of their Champions League group thanks to a 4-1 victory.

Xhaka also got the better of older brother Taulant during the game, but insists he did not leave the city pining for his homeland.

(Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

“It’s a good experience, a nice experience,” said the Swiss international. “Arsenal is a very big club and it’s so much fun to play alongside my team-mates. I’m really happy here.

“I came home after five years. Here at Basel is where I made my first professional steps, I came up and grew up through the FC Basel school.

“I played against my brother for the third time [too], and it’s always special to play against him.”