Taulant Xhaka: Patience key for Granit to progress at Arsenal, but he needs to adapt

Siblings: Granit Xhaka (right) and Taulant Xhaka (left) played against each other at Euro 2016
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Vaishali Bhardwaj27 September 2016

Granit Xhaka's elder brother Taulant may currently be preparing to face his sibling when Arsenal host Basel in the Champions League on Wednesday, but the Albania midfielder is still full of praise for the new Gunners man.

Granit's performances for German side Borussia Monchegladbach last season earned him a £32million move to Arsenal this summer, although the Switzerland international has had to settle for a largely substitute role with his new side since his arrivel in England.

Despite Santi Cazorla and Francis Coquelin being preferred in central midfield, Granit has impressed Arsenal fans with his two goals in all competitions for the Gunners and could now be in line to start when the north Londoners host Basel on Wednesday.

Taulant, who is set to feature for the Swiss side at the Emirates Stadium, has already had to line up against his younger brother at Euro 2016 and, ahead of Basel's Champions League test at Arsenal, the midfielder has insisted Granit has a bright future in the Premier League.

"He needs to be patient but he knows this and I am sure he can progress there," Taulant said. "Arsene Wenger is a coach who takes a lot of young players – he gives them confidence and also tries to help them as people.

"It was the same when he moved to Germany, he needed time but he learnt a lot. He changed, became more self-confident, more open to people. It was a good step to join Arsenal.

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"Granit is very comfortable, very integrated. He is very happy there and he has already scored some super goals."

He added: "We speak every day, but before a game sometimes not because we have to focus. We won’t tell each other how the teams play – we are professional.

"I hope that after the game we can meet quickly. I need to ask the coach, so hopefully we win and he’s in a good mood."

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