Xhaka: I almost left Arsenal over pure hate from fans

Last summer, despite links with a move to AS Roma,

signed a new deal at

that commits him to the club until the summer of 2024.

"My bags were packed. The passports were out,"

Xhaka told The Players' Tribune.

"I was done with Arsenal. Finished. There was a contract on the table from another club, and all I had to do was sign.”

He also spoke about a confrontation with his own fans in October 2019 against

.

"I had barely begun to move when I heard the boos. And it was not just a few guys in the corner - it was a lot of people. I was shocked. I had never experienced anything like this. When I got close to the tunnel, I looked up at the fans sitting there - and this is the part that I will always remember.

"When I close my eyes now, I can still see their faces. I can see their anger. It's not that they don't like me. No, it's different. This is hate. Pure hate. I am really not exaggerating this.

"To feel that level of hatred and disrespect, I wouldn't want it for my worst enemy. Still to this day, if we have lost, I hate walking those last metres to the tunnel, because I still recognise the faces. The same people are sitting there.

"So now, I just keep my head down. I lived through that nightmare once. I don't ever want to do it again.”

Xhaka believes he made the right decision to stay at Arsenal last summer.

"Today I know I made the right decision, absolutely, because I'm still here," Xhaka said. "But I can't pretend that my relationship with the fans will ever be the same, because that moment will always be in my heart.

"I would like us to have a better relationship. I would like us to understand each other better. That is exactly why I'm telling you all this. I know we players are privileged, but you have to understand that our lives can be very, very difficult, too.

"Of course, you never get to know about our problems, because we never talk, and we never do anything together. To you we are just players running around for 90 minutes and then, 'Goodbye!' But I don't think this is right.”

The 29 year old admits his relationship with the Arsenal fans will never be the same, but he wants to achieve great things at this club.

He said:

"Arsenal is still in my heart, 100%. My challenge was never to change people's opinions about me, but to help the team. And then after that, if someone did change their mind because of that, then great.

"I understand that we will never be best friends, but I hope we can treat each other with honesty and respect. If I am late in a tackle, it's because I'm fighting for Arsenal. If I lose my temper, it's because I care.

"Sometimes, maybe I care too much. Obviously, you can never predict the future in football, but I do know a few things. After this season, I have two years left of my contract. I still love this club. I believe Mikel is building a great team. And I want to achieve something special here."

Follow 

for the