Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka has been stripped of the club’s captaincy, just over a week after he was jeered off the pitch by home fans against Crystal Palace.
Striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will take the armband, replacing the Swiss 27-year-old.
Even more concerning for Xhaka is that he has been left out of Arsenal’s squad to face Vitoria SC in the Europa League on Thursday night, with his future at the club unclear.
Following jeering by Arsenal fans at the Emirates last week, Xhaka was seen to be shouting expletives and reacted poorly while being substituted. He walked straight into the tunnel, taking off his jersey in the process.
It was then revealed by Xhaka that he had received death threats and abuse by fans in the lead up to the match, which contributed to his actions.
Xhaka was the players’ choice as captain and the squad have said that they will continue to back him.
The decision to strip him of the captaincy has added to a horror couple of weeks for the Gunners, who are winless in their last three Premier League matches and currently sit in fifth place.
