The Arsenal captaincy has been something of a poisoned chalice over the last two decades.

In the case of William Gallas, he was something of a sulker. That game against Birmingham in February 2008 is sadly remembered more for Eduardo's injury but as Arsenal's hopes of winning the title took a big blow, the French defender seemingly refused to leave the pitch at the end of the game.

The Cesc Fabregas and Robin van Persie sagas did not end well either. Cesc headed to Barcelona and Van Persie moved to Manchester United in the most controversial of circumstances.

Mikel Arteta and Per Mertesacker were the model professionals but Laurent Koscielny and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang hardly left in harmonious circumstances.

The centre-back was seen ripping off an Arsenal shirt in his announcement video when he moved to Bordeaux while Aubameyang was stripped of the captaincy and told to pack his bags after a number of misdemeanors.

No situation was as dramatic as Granit Xhaka's, however.

How Granit Xhaka bounced back from the verge of an Arsenal exit

The year is 2019, the month is October. Xhaka, the ever-polarising figure had simply had enough. So had the fans.

As he was substituted by Unai Emery in a clash with Crystal Palace, he was jeered and booed off by the home support. Xhaka had a right to reply but it was a heated moment. He ripped the armband off and threw it on the floor. He was fuming with the reaction.

Unsurprisingly, Emery chose to strip him of the captaincy altogether. It's a moment that the Swiss midfielder later admitted nearly saw him leave north London behind.

"When I close my eyes now, I can still see their faces. I can see their anger," he told the Players' Tribune. "The passports were out. I was done with Arsenal. Finished."

He had always been an inconsistent figure, dating back to the Arsene Wenger days when his ill-discipline really cost him. 'If that was Xhaka, it would have been a red' was the phrase regularly used throughout the Premier League.

Yet, one of the most remarkable redemption arcs played out and it was largely thanks to a former Gunners captain in Arteta. Now manager of this great club, he look a liking to Xhaka. Xhaka took a liking to the Spaniard too.

From the brink of packing it all in, it didn't take long for the midfield general to become a key part of the furniture. That 2022/23 season will live long in the memory.

Granted permission to play further forward in the number 8 role, Xhaka enjoyed one of the finest individual seasons of his career, scoring nine goals and supplying seven assists in all competitions. He was now a firm fan favourite; redemption was complete.

However, just as he'd become something of a cult hero in the capital, he took his leave. Bayer Leverkusen and Xabi Alonso came calling. He went onto win the Bundesliga. With Arsenal winning the Premier League last season, it would appear both parties got their happy ending.

Now, in the present day, a similar redemption arc appears to be playing out.

Arsenal's modern-day Granit Xhaka has emerged

In the present day, this story involves Alonso again. He's no longer the manager of Leverkusen, no longer in charge of Xhaka. He is at Chelsea and Arteta gave him a lesson in coaching in this division on Sunday.

In that game, the Gunners did go a goal down but they responded emphatically, first through former Chelsea man Kai Havertz and then through skipper Martin Odegaard.

We mentioned the armband has been a bit of a curse over the last two decades and the Norwegian has perhaps felt that burden.

Named captain in July 2022, he has led the team for over four years now. Even with the arrival of Declan Rice, the players continued to vote him as captain. It's a testament to his people skills, to his influence, to his leadership behind the scenes.

The Norwegian is not an in-yer-face leader but on the pitch, he truly sets the tone. We saw that against Chelsea.

Still, like the middle stages of Xhaka's Arsenal career, Odegaard has not had it all his own way at the Emirates. Despite lifting the title back in May, there were suggestions that the Gunners could be willing to cash in on their number 8 this summer.

Why? Well, his performances in recent years have been far too inconsistent. In 2024/25, he scored just six goals in all competitions. Last campaign, the 27-year-old only scored once.

Supporters were getting agitated. With Odegaard in the team they lacked a spark, they lacked an explosive ring leader, a player like Kevin De Bruyne to really make things happen in the final third.

Well, in 2026/27, the former Real Madrid man is enjoying something of a Xhaka-like redemption. Fans were on his back but he has started the new season with flying colours. He looks like he's in the form of his life.

As Arteta said post-game: "He is enjoying his football. His personal life is settled, he is available, he is training, he has his routine." That has all made a huge difference.

After a brilliant World Cup with Norway, Odegaard's form has only got better. He has three goals in his first four matches this season, with his most emphatic yet coming on Sunday.

Darting onto the end of Christos Tzolis' pass, Odegaard took a touch and then hammered the ball past Emiliano Martinez. It was a lovely goal.

Sure, supporters may never have been on his back quite like they were with Xhaka but there had been calls for him to be sold after a number of disappointing season.

Now, however, he is back to his best, plundering goals home from midfield just as his former Swiss colleague did in 2022/23. It's been an immense recovery from the £30m signing.