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'I feel like I have to impress him as much as the manager': How Granit Xhaka became Sunderland's driving force - and the owner's crucial intervention that convinced him to join

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First impressions: they have always mattered to Granit Xhaka, right through his life and certainly during the years he has spent in the Premier League.

He knew, for instance, that he had to be true to himself when arriving at Arsenal in 2016. During his first few days, which coincided with the club's pre-season tour to America's West Coast, Xhaka was introduced to the daunting ritual of singing for his new team-mates.