Arsenal enjoyed an unusually productive summer last year in terms of selling players, with Folarin Balogun, Granit Xhaka and Matt Turner all leaving for good fees.

With the likes of Declan Rice, Kai Havertz and Jurrien Timber all being brought in, many Arsenal fans would agree that the squad, as a whole, was improved last summer with some good signings whilst also selling the right players at the right time.

Moreover, those who left north London are now flourishing, with Xhaka this weekend winning the Bundesliga title with Bayer Leverkusen as Turner has established himself as a regular in the Premier League with Nottingham Forest.

And one player in particular has thrived statistically since departing Arsenal last summer.

Granit Xhaka ranked as best passer in Europe after Arsenal departure

As per the CIES Football Observatory, Xhaka has enjoyed an exceptional year back in Germany with Leverkusen, with the Swiss international now ranked as the best passer in all of Europe in the top-five leagues.

Beating Arsenal’s Jorginho and even Manchester City’s pass-master Rodri, Xhaka’s stats show just how well the midfielder has thrived at Leverkusen under Xabi Alonso, with the 31-year-old becoming one of the Basque coach’s most important players.

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With Leverkusen beating Harry Kane’s Bayern Munich to the title and potentially going the league season as the latest Invincibles in European football, Xhaka’s story this year has been nothing short of incredible.

Indeed, no player deserves this fairytale more than Xhaka, and Arsenal fans will be pleased to see the Swiss international now ranked as Europe’s best passer after ending his Premier League career as an Emirates Stadium icon.

Supporters won’t feel better over Xhaka sale despite immense success

Featuring in all but two games this season for Leverkusen, it is safe to assume that Xhaka has made quite the impact for the German side in what has been a historic year in the Bundesliga.

Ending Bayern’s dominance and establishing a potential new dynasty in German football is the stuff of dreams for many fans, and Arsenal supporters won’t be bitter one bit about Xhaka’s success with Leverkusen this season.

After all, the Swiss midfielder completed the most remarkable of redemption arcs to become a true icon for the modern-day Arsenal under Mikel Arteta, and fans will be loving every second of Xhaka’s success in Germany with Leverkusen.