Leverkusen’s Sunderland Sign Midfielder
Sunderland is locked up in a Granite Zaka signature from Bayer Leberkusen, and the experienced midfielder will receive medical care on wearside in the next 48 hours.
The Northeast Club has agreed to an additional £4.3 million fee for the 32-year-old potential add-on.
If Sunderland is able to complete the transaction, it represents a major coup for the newly promoted club, adding the experience needed for the youngest team in last season’s championship.
Xhaka is a Swiss record performer with 137 caps and played a pivotal role in Bayer Leverkusen’s Maiden Bundesliga title in 2024 under Xabi Alonso. He’s going back to Premier League Two years after completing a seven-year spell at Arsenal.
Granit Xhaka Stats
Xhaka began her senior career at Basel in 2010 and joined Borussia Monche Gladbach in 2012.
He joined Arsenal in 2016 for £35 million, and made 297 appearances for the club, winning the FA Cup in 2017 and 2020, reaching 2018/19. Europa League in front Return to Germany With Leverkusen in July 2023.
Part of Alonso’s Bundesliga Award winner in 2024, he has made 33 appearances in each of the last two seasons, achieving a total of five goals. All his seven assists came in 2024/25.
The combat player Xhaka was stripped of Arsenal’s captain in November 2019 after a fierce exchange with Emirates Stadium home fans.
Why did Sunderland sign Granite Zaka?
Sunderland, who has returned to top flight for the first time since 2017, has a shortage of players with Premier League experience as they bid on Berry for the odds as a relegation favourite.
Xhaka has made 225 appearances in the top end of the division, including 17 goals, 24 assists and streaming over 200 corners.
Alonso started nine times using Xhaka in all 10 of Lebakusen during his final 16 runs of the Champions League last season.
Xhaka finished 16th in the 2024 Ballon D’Or Voice, finishing ahead of Arsenal’s Martin Odegard and Bukayo Saka.
The three Swiss footballers helped fill the creative gap left behind by the departure of Job Bellingham to Borussia Dortmund with £32 million and Brighton & Hove Albion with £10 million from Tom Watson.
It’s unlikely that Xhaka will be his last arrival either. Sunderland is paying attention to Bologna centre half John Lukmi’s move, but the goalkeeper is considered another target for Boss Regis Luburi.
Sunderland Forward 2025/26
Sunderland invested heavily in the middle this summer, signing last season’s lender Enzoll fees, permanently signing from Rome for £19.3 million, breaking transfer records and adding Strasbourg’s Habibdiara for £30 million.
Defensive midfielder Noah Sadiki joins for £17.5 million from Union SG, while Wingers’ Simon Adinra (£21 million from Brighton) and Kemshin Tarbi (£19.5 million from Club Bruges) are also newcomers.
Left-back Lined is a free transfer from Atletico Madrid, with midfielder Matthew Burns (Colleline) and goalkeeper Isaac Allan (Lincoln City) of the future.
When will Sunderland’s 2025/26 Premier League season begin?
First round of a Premier League match 2025/26 will take place on the weekend of August 15th, 2025, 17/18th, 15, 16th, and Sunderland will be at his West Ham home on Saturday, August 16th at 15:00 BST (10:00 ET/07:00 PT).
Game with the Hammer is not shown on live UK TV.
All final rounds of the season will begin simultaneously on May 24th, 2026. There will be no rounds within 60 hours of each other, and no equipment will be available on December 24th.
Another blow from Leverkusen
Alonso’s decision to join Real Madrid is likely to prove the end of the era.
If Xhaka departs, he joins Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, Jonathan Tah and others to leave Bayarena.
New boss Eric Ten Hug last week stated his desire to keep Xhaka in place, which appears to be acknowledged for the player’s desire to move on.
Ten Hag brought in Jarell Quansah, Malik Tillman, Ibrahim Maza and Mark Flekken this summer.