Granit Xhaka was born on 27 September 1992 in Basel, Switzerland, into an ethnic Albanian family with roots in Kosovo. He came through the Basel youth academy and broke into the first team in 2010, winning back-to-back Swiss Super League titles before moving to Borussia Mönchengladbach in 2012 for a fee of around €8.5 million.
At Mönchengladbach, Xhaka grew into a reliable defensive midfielder and captained the side from 2015, twice guiding the club to UEFA Champions League qualification. His form attracted Arsenal, who signed him in May 2016 for around £35 million. Over seven seasons at the Emirates he made nearly 300 appearances, served as club captain, and collected two FA Cup winners' medals — in 2017 and 2020.
A composed, technically assured defensive midfielder with a powerful long-range shot and an eye for a pass from deep, Xhaka is also known for a disciplinary record that has included several red cards across his career. In 2023 he joined Bayer Leverkusen on a five-year deal for €25 million, and in his very first season helped the club win their first-ever Bundesliga title.
At international level, Xhaka made his senior debut for Switzerland in 2011 and has since become the country's record appearance holder with 144 caps. He was part of the Swiss squad for the FIFA World Cup in 2014, 2018 and 2022, as well as three UEFA European Championships. He also captains the national side. Arsenal currently hold his registration as listed on this site.