Sunderland are closing in on the signing of Granit Xhaka from Bayer Leverkusen, with the skilled midfielder due for a medical on Wearside within the subsequent 48 hours.
The north-east membership have agreed a charge of £13million with one other £4.3m in potential add-ons for the 32-year-old, who has reportedly already agreed the framework of a three-year contract on the Stadium of Mild.
If Sunderland can full the deal, it could signify a serious coup for the newly promoted membership and add some much-needed expertise to what was the youngest squad within the Championship final season.
Xhaka is Switzerland’s document appearance-maker with 137 caps and performed a pivotal position in Bayer Leverkusen’s maiden Bundesliga title in 2024 below Xabi Alonso. He’ll return to the Premier League two years after ending a seven-year spell at Arsenal.
Granit Xhaka stats
Xhaka started his senior profession at Basel in 2010 earlier than becoming a member of Borussia Monchengladbach in 2012, by which period he had established himself as a global and scored his first purpose for the Nati.
He joined Arsenal for £35m in 2016 and made 297 appearances for the membership, successful the FA Cup in 2017 and 2020 and reaching the 2018/19 Europa League earlier than returning to Germany with Leverkusen in July 2023.
A part of Alonso’s Bundesliga-winning facet in 2024, he has made 33 appearances in every of the final two seasons, contributing a complete of 5 objectives. All seven of his assists got here in 2024/25.
A combative participant, Xhaka was stripped of the Arsenal captaincy in November 2019 after a heated trade with house followers on the Emirates Stadium.
Why have Sunderland signed Granit Xhaka?
Again within the high flight for the primary time since 2017, Sunderland are missing gamers with Premier League expertise as they bid to bely the percentages because the favourites for relegation.
Xhaka has made 225 appearances on the high finish of the division, together with 17 objectives, 24 assists and the supply of greater than 200 corners.
Alonso used Xhaka in all 10 of Leverkusen’s video games throughout their run to the final 16 of final season’s Champions League, beginning him 9 instances.
Xhaka got here sixteenth within the 2024 Ballon d’Or vote, ending forward of the likes of Arsenal’s Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka.
The three-time Swiss Footballer of the Yr may additionally assist to fill the inventive gaps left by the departures of Jobe Bellingham to Borussia Dortmund for £32m and Tom Watson to Brighton & Hove Albion for £10m.
Xhaka is unlikely to be the final arrival, both. Sunderland are eyeing a transfer for Bologna centre-half Jhon Lucumi whereas a goalkeeper is believed to be one other goal for boss Regis Le Bris.
Sunderland transfers 2025/26
Sunderland have invested closely in midfield this summer time, signing Enzo Le Charge – a loanee of theirs final season – on a everlasting foundation for £19.3m from Roma and breaking their switch document so as to add Habib Diarra from Strasbourg for £30m.
Defensive midfielder Noah Sadiki joined from Union SG for £17.5m, whereas wingers Simon Adingra (£21m from Brighton) and Chemsdine Talbi (£19.5m from Membership Brugge) are additionally newcomers.
Left-back Reinildo was a free switch from Atletico Madrid, whereas midfielder Matthew Burns (Coleraine) and goalkeeper Isaac Allan (Lincoln Metropolis) are ones for the long run.
When does Sunderland’s 2025/26 Premier League season begin?
The first round of Premier League matches in 2025/26 will probably be on the weekend of August 15/16/17/18 2025, with Sunderland at house to West Ham on Saturday, August 16 at 15:00 BST (10:00 ET / 07:00 PT).
The sport in opposition to the Hammers shouldn’t be being proven on dwell TV within the UK.
The final spherical of matches this season will all begin on the identical time on Might 24 2026. No rounds will happen inside 60 hours of one another and there will probably be no fixture on December 24.
One other blow for Leverkusen
Alonso’s choice to affix Actual Madrid was all the time more likely to show the top of an period.
Ought to Xhaka depart, he’ll be part of the likes of Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong and Jonathan Tah in leaving the BayArena.
New boss Erik ten Hag final week acknowledged his want to maintain Xhaka but it surely appears as if the participant’s want to maneuver on has been granted.
Ten Hag has introduced in Jarell Quansah, Malik Tillman, Ibrahim Maza and Mark Flekken this summer time.
