Mikel Arteta may have made a big mistake selling Arsenal’s £21m player

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Only Mikel Arteta will know he regrets Arsenal’s decision to let Granit Xhaka leave for Bayer Leverkusen this summer.

Xhaka had an immensely rocky ride with Arsenal over the years but flourished in an advanced role last season.

The 31-year-old looked destined to leave as the season wound down, but it perhaps should have rung some alarm bells when he almost scored a hat-trick in his final game.

Xhaka was flying at Arsenal, and the club let him leave for £21m.

And it certainly shouldn’t be a surprise that his new club Leverkusen are now at top of the Bundesliga under Xabi Alonso.

Xhaka had so many amazing attributes both on and off the pitch, even if they weren’t always recognised over the years.

And given another frustrating performance last night, it does beg the question – why did Arsenal let him leave?

It almost felt as if Xhaka had completed his Arsenal cycle under Arteta when it was rumoured that he was set to leave, that was the narrative.

However, the midfielder still had time on his contract and looked as settled as he ever had at the Emirates.

Mikel Arteta must miss Granit Xhaka at Arsenal

Of course, the easy comparison is with Kai Havertz.

Mikel Arteta paid £65m for the Chelsea midfielder this summer and seemed to have exciting plans for his development.

And although he’s had a rocky start, one Xhaka will be familiar with, he can definitely still come good.

But the perplexing part of the transaction is working out just how much Arsenal were supposed to benefit from the move.

Yes, Havertz may still have a very high ceiling, but Xhaka was already at the top of his game.

Perhaps Havertz would even be having a better time at the club right now were the Swiss international still around.

Arsenal and Arteta are unlikely to ever admit any regret over Xhaka leaving, but the decision does now seem a peculiar one.

This current Arsenal squad can still achieve big things without Xhaka, but he certainly would have made it easier in the interim.