Darren Bent believes Granit Xhaka’s Arsenal career is ‘done’ and feels young midfielder Matteo Guendouzi is ‘the only one’ who could replace him as captain.
After Arsenal managed to throw away a two-goal lead at home to Crystal Palace on Sunday, Unai Emery replaced Xhaka with Bukayo Saka and the Swiss was booed for a lack of urgency as he strolled off the Emirates pitch.
Xhaka responded by tossing the captain’s armband towards Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and telling Arsenal fans to ‘f*** off’ before heading straight down the tunnel.
Emery hinted that Xhaka could be stripped of the captaincy and Arsenal legends such as Ian Wright and Nigel Winterburn have slammed the midfielder and his actions.
Former Tottenham and England striker Bent thinks it could be the end of the road for Xhaka at Arsenal as supporters will ‘never forgive’ his behaviour at the weekend.
‘Once you tell the fans to f-off, take the shirt off and go straight down the tunnel, that’s it at the club,’ Bent told talkSPORT.
‘I don’t like when fans boo their own players, but when you have that reaction you’re giving in. There’s frustration in there as well because he’s not happy with his own performance, he hasn’t been playing very well.
‘But his reaction to the crowd and even to the manager, and to take your shirt off and storm down the tunnel, for me there’s no coming back from that.
‘Him walking off slowly is bad, you need to get off the pitch quicker, but the moment you disrespect the shirt you show a lack of respect to your team-mates, people who have played for the club in the past and everyone associated with the club.
‘What makes it worse is he’s the captain. As captain you set an example. You’re at the forefront at everything. If the team is not playing well you’re going to get criticism first and your team-mates are going to look at you.
‘What happens next? The next time he walks out of the pitch he’s going to get it even more from the fans.
‘They’ll never forgive him for that.’
Bent has been massively impressed with Guendouzi this season and has called for Emery to appoint the 20-year-old Frenchman as his new skipper.
‘The only one name I can think of – and it could come too soon – is Guendouzi,’ Bent added.
‘He gives absolutely everything every time he plays.
‘Is that too much pressure to heap on a kid who is only 20? Probably a little bit, but at the same time, who else can you pick?
‘Xhaka needs to look at Guendouzi who is doing everything he should be doing and is only 20.
‘He never throws the towel in.’
