Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta praised Granit Xhaka for the significant contribution he made in the Premier League title challenge this season.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta praised Granit Xhaka for the significant contribution he made in the Premier League title challenge this season.
Xhaka has been a key figure alongside Thomas Partey in Arteta's midfield this campaign, becoming a respected leadership presence and redeeming himself in the eyes of supporters after a public spat in 2019 threatened his place in the squad.
Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen have been heavily linked with a move for the 30-year-old, whose contract is due to expire at the end of next season.
He spent four years in Germany with Borussia Monchengladbach before Arsene Wenger brought him to Arsenal in 2016 for around £30million, but he endured a strained relationship with fans culminating in a confrontation as he was substituted during a game against Crystal Palace at the Emirates four years ago.
Then manager Unai Emery subsequently stripped him of the captaincy and his time at the club looked to be over.
But this season has seen a full rehabilitation for the Switzerland international as Arsenal ran Manchester City to the final weeks of the season for the title and returned to the Champions League after a six-year absence.
"For me (he's been) crucial - really, really important at every level, and I think for the team and the club as well," said Arteta, who said he would not comment on the futures of any of his side until after Sunday's Premier League finale against Wolves.
"In the great moments like this season he has had, and in the difficult ones, because I think we have become a better club and better people and we have understood certain situations much better than just judging them.
"I think the club and a lot of people have done really good to dig in there to understand what happened emotionally and why those reactions were happening.
"Having the courage to say, 'OK, turn around to the situation, face it'. There's going to be a moment of doubt but if you believe in what you're doing and you go face-to-face and you say what you feel, normally things work out pretty well.
"When you look how he behaved. We have some others who are absolutely a joy for those boys, the way they treat them. And he has an honest and unique willingness to help them. It's not an act, it's genuine.
"It makes the difference. We have four or five in that dressing room who have been critical for these players to grow, to have the right support, to inspire them and in the right moment to challenge them when it's necessary to get them in the right direction when they are tempted to go somewhere else. You need that in that dressing room."
Arteta said he would take the time to recharge himself after a draining campaign in which Arsenal led the table for 248 days before slipping away, a record for any side that has failed to win the title.
The team were eight points clear as recently as early April before a string of draws against Liverpool, West Ham and Southampton weakened their advantage, allowing Manchester City to finally overtake them with a thumping 4-1 win at the Etihad.
The manager predicted the challenge will be even tougher if Arsenal aim to prevent City from winning a record fourth-straight crown, but planned to switch off from football for a period over the close season.
"I have the necessary energy to go into the last game and really feel again that connection, play well, win the game and finish the season in the right way," he said.
"Then I have another kind of energy without that being so physical and so demanding and being there every single day but to have the time to think as well; to plan what we want to do, to try execute it, but to recharge my batteries as well next to my family, next to my friends, on a beautiful beach just not thinking about football.
"It's very important (to be able to switch off). Me personally I have to get better at that but I think I have some good help around."

Mikel Arteta: Granit Xhaka was 'crucial' for Arsenal this campaign

Leicester became just the second former Premier League champions to be relegated despite a 2-1 home victory over West Ham on the final day of the season.

Leicester became just the second former Premier League champions to be relegated despite a 2-1 home victory over West Ham on the final day of the season.
The Foxes, who won the title seven years ago, needed to win and hope that Everton did not get three points in their clash at home to Bournemouth.
And for a large part of the afternoon that looked like playing out as they went ahead through Harvey Barnes and Wout Faes before the crushing news of Abdoulaye Doucoure's goal for Everton came through.
And with the Toffees hanging on at Goodison Park it condemned Leicester to the drop which represents a huge fall from grace, joining Blackburn as the only teams to lift the Premier League trophy and then be relegated.
That remarkable 5000-1 title came in 2016 but they have enjoyed much more recent success as they won the FA Cup in 2021 under Brendan Rodgers, who also delivered back-to-back fifth-placed finishes.
Rodgers was fired at the start of April in a bid to beat relegation, with former Aston Villa boss Dean Smith parachuted in on an eight-game SOS mission.
But they ultimately fell just short and Smith will surely now depart as the Foxes prepare for life back in the Championship for the first time since 2014.
West Ham, who made a game of it in the second half through Pablo Fornals' strike, were already safe and a disappointing league season sees them finish 14th – six points clear of the drop – but their attention is firmly on the forthcoming Europa Conference League final against Fiorentina.
Given the nature of their predicament it was essential for Leicester to start well and buoyed on by a loud home support, they began with impetus.
But the visitors began to get into the game and they enjoyed the better chances in the opening 20 minutes.
There was plenty of space for them to counter-attack and Michail Antonio forced Daniel Iversen into a parried save after taking up a good position and then Fornals miscued his shot when he had more time than he thought after being played in by Vladimir Coufal.
Leicester needed to re-ignite the crowd and they did that in the 28th minute when they came within inches of going in front.
Iheanacho did well to keep Barnes' overhit cross in, then he played a one-two with James Maddison before firing an effort that clipped the top of the crossbar.
That raised the volume levels and the roof came off the King Power Stadium five minutes later when Barnes did open the scoring.
He played a lovely give-and-go with Iheanacho, held off the challenge of Flynn Downes and then coolly stroked the ball into the bottom corner.
With Everton still drawing against Bournemouth the goal moved Leicester out of the bottom three and they surged forward for another, with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall firing over and James Maddison curling wide.
Leicester were unable to recapture that spark in the second half and the atmosphere soured when news of Everton's goal at Goodison Park was kindly delivered by goading West Ham fans.
It almost got even worse for them as a slick move saw Said Benrahma glide into the area but his shot struck the base of the post and the Foxes survived.
They knew that one goal on Merseyside would change things and were able to consolidate their own lead when Faes climbed highest from Maddison's free-kick.
West Ham, whose fans were basking in their opponents' misery and their own imminent trip to Prague, should have got one back midway through the second half when Jarrod Bowen, whose shot had been saved by Iversen, teed up Danny Ings, but the substitute embarrassingly skied over.
The Hammers did get on the scoresheet with 12 minutes remaining as Fornals surged into the area and struck home.
Leicester were able to see it out but the news they desperately craved from Goodison Park never came and a disappointing season ended in the worst possible way.

Leicester relegated despite final day win over West Ham

Manchester United sealed third spot as Bruno Fernandes' smart finish completed a 2-1 comeback win against Fulham on the final day of the Premier League season.

Manchester United sealed third spot as Bruno Fernandes' smart finish completed a 2-1 comeback win against Fulham on the final day of the Premier League season.
Having sealed Champions League qualification with Thursday's 4-1 victory against Chelsea, Erik ten Hag's men overcame west London opposition once again on Sunday.
Kenny Tete opened the scoring and Fulham had the chance to extend their lead, only for long-serving United goalkeeper David De Gea – whose contract has yet to be extended beyond the summer – to stop Aleksandar Mitrovic's spot-kick.
That save inspired an impressive United turnaround, with Jadon Sancho putting the hosts level before Fred slipped Fernandes through to coolly complete a 2-1 triumph.
The three points saw United beat Newcastle to third place, while Marco Silva's Fulham headed to the northwest already guaranteed to finish 10th thanks to a brilliant season following promotion.
United's win was a club record-equalling 27th at Old Trafford in all competitions and maintains the Red Devils' momentum heading into next weekend's FA Cup final against treble-chasing rivals Manchester City.
A second trophy of Ten Hag's first season would be huge, but there remains underlying issues at the club and the United faithful made it clear throughout Sunday's match – as they always do – that the Glazer family must sell.
Their team began on the front foot and Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno stopped a fizzing early Diogo Dalot cross potentially being directed home by Fred.
The Fulham shot-stopper pawed away a well-struck Marcus Rashford free-kick from distance as United started brightly, only to then be caught cold from a 19th-minute set-piece.
Willian swung over a corner from the left and Tete got ahead of Rashford to all too easily head home at the near post in front of the stunned Stretford End.
Things looked set to unravel further for United in the 24th minute.
Harry Maguire's poor pass out from the back led to a move that ended with Casemiro catching Tom Cairney's leg in the box as the Fulham captain cut inside.
Referee Robert Jones pointed to the spot and Mitrovic stepped at Old Trafford, where his meltdown in Fulham's FA Cup quarter-final defeat brought him an eight-match ban.
The Fulham frontman will also want to forget this latest trip to United as his firm strike was saved by De Gea, meaning he failed to score his fourth penalty of the Premier League campaign.
Old Trafford erupted at that save, enlivening United's play in the process.
Rashford whistled a long-ranger narrowly wide and quick build-up play after winning the ball ended with Alejandro Garnacho curling just wide.
The 18-year-old went closer still in the 29th minute. Tyrell Malacia shifted the ball onto Garnacho in the box, with the winger opening his body up and curling a right-footed shot off the crossbar.
Leno denied Casemiro from an acute angle as Fulham appeared to see off United's onslaught, only to be pegged back in the 39th minute.
Fernandes sent Fred darting into the box and Tete's challenge on the midfielder inadvertently sent the ball onto Sancho to prod home an equaliser.
United returned from the break on top and took a 55th-minute lead through ever-reliable Fernandes.
Fred showed great skill and awareness to slip a pass through to the Portuguese, who had ran behind the Fulham backline and smartly clipped the ball over Leno after taking a touch.
Fernandes was denied a second from distance by Leno, with Rashford also seeing an attempt saved as United looked to put the result to bed.
Cairney had Fulham's best chances, holding his head in his hands after one miss and seeing another tipped over by De Gea.
The United goalkeeper stopped substitute Carlos Vinicius' strike unaware he had strayed offside, with the Spaniard again alert when fellow introduction Manor Solomon took aim.
Wout Weghorst, on for his final home appearance before his loan expires, turned a fine late chance wide.

Bruno Fernandes nets Man Utd winner in comeback against Fulham to clinch third

Bayern Munich have parted company with chief executive Oliver Kahn and board member for sport Hasan Salihamidzic hours after clinching an 11th successive Bundesliga title.

Bayern Munich have parted company with chief executive Oliver Kahn and board member for sport Hasan Salihamidzic hours after clinching an 11th successive Bundesliga title.
Former Germany goalkeeper Kahn, who made more than 350 appearances for Bayern, and one-time team-mate Salihamidzic were relieved of their duties on Saturday evening with the dust still settling on a dramatic finale to the season as they edged past Borussia Dortmund to retain their crown.
Vice-chairman Jan-Christian Dreesen will take over from Kahn, while Salihamidzic's replacement is yet to be appointed.
A statement on the club's official website said: "Oliver Kahn is no longer CEO of FC Bayern Munchen AG. Hasan Salihamidzic will also be replaced as board member for sport. This was decided by the club's supervisory board.
"Kahn will be replaced by the current vice-chairman of the board Jan-Christian Dreesen. Salihamidzic's successor is still to be decided."
Kahn joined the board in January 2020 and took over as CEO in July the following year, presiding over two league title wins as well as Champions League, European Super Cup, DFB Cup and DFL Supercup success.
Herbert Hainer, chairman of Bayern's supervisory board, said: "The decision to part with Oliver Kahn was anything but easy for the supervisory board. Nevertheless, due to the overall development, we have come to the decision to make a new appointment at the top of the executive board.
"We would like to thank Oliver Kahn for his commitment, his ideas and for everything we have achieved together. He will always remain a great figure at FC Bayern. We wish him all the best for his future."
Former midfielder Salihamidzic returned to the club as sporting director in August 2017 and was promoted to the post of board member for sport three years later.
He said: "It has been a great journey, which I would have liked to continue, but I respect the decision of the supervisory board. FC Bayern stands above everything else, and I wish our team and our fans cohesion and success."

Oliver Kahn and Hasan Salihamidzic sacked by Bayern hours after Bundesliga win

David Moyes admits he finds it impossible to switch off during the close-season.

David Moyes admits he finds it impossible to switch off during the close-season.
The West Ham boss is resigned to losing captain Declan Rice this summer and will be inundated with calls from agents suggesting replacements.
"I am the exact opposite of switching off, I am on my phone all the time, there's recruitment and things going on," said Moyes.
"When you talk about the job as a manager, it is so full on. I am sure there are some managers who say 'no problem and I'll put my phone away'. I have never been like that, I am always on my phone and available.
"I am getting 400 different names put to me every day, a lot of them you don't know, some of them you do know and some of them you go, 'I quite like him'.
"When you are doing nothing, the agents start to get busy and that's when it becomes a difficult time as a manager to switch off."
Moyes can at least relax in the knowledge West Ham are safe from relegation ahead of Sunday's trip to Leicester, who are still in the drop zone.
The Hammers also have a Europa Conference League final against Fiorentina in Prague to look forward to next month.
"I hope to be playing plenty of golf, just trying to recover as it's been a real difficult year for the club and myself," added Moyes.
"I think we've been a good side, but we’ve maybe not shown that we are a good side that often this year.
"But I just see it as a huge achievement for the whole of West Ham as a football club, to be in a European final.
"I don't know if I would have said this when I came back to the club three years ago, you wouldn't have believed me at all. The supporters were probably thinking that as well. If I wasn't at West Ham, I would have said 'you're off your head'.
"Maybe the draw in Europe has been a bit kinder to us – but that's part of being in the cup competitions."