Granit Xhaka is returning to the Premier League. But not with Arsenal. And not with any of the usual top contenders. The Swiss midfielder is about to be unveiled by Sunderland, freshly promoted to England’s top tier. The deal, which dragged on for weeks, has finally been closed for €20 million. He’s set to sign a two-year contract.
The news was confirmed by Fabrizio Romano on Monday. Bayer Leverkusen, who had been holding off on selling another key player, eventually gave the green light. The decision’s made. All that’s left now is the official announcement.
The kind of signing that shifts expectations
This is the kind of move that can reshape a team, not for its commercial buzz or symbolic value, but because of the on-field impact it brings. Xhaka was one of the key figures in Leverkusen’s most historic season, helping the club win both the Bundesliga and DFB Pokal without a single loss. At 32, he’s far from finished. He’s in form, fully fit, and loaded with experience. What turns heads is where he’s going. A newly promoted side dropping big money on a veteran star. Brave move or a huge risk?
His departure hits both clubs. It leaves a clear gap in Leverkusen’s midfield, a team that’s already seen Wirtz, Tah, and Frimpong walk out this window. And it raises the ceiling at Sunderland, a club that now seems serious about making some real noise in the top flight.
Sunderland’s plan
Sunderland didn’t just stumble into the Premier League. They earned their way back playing sharper, more organized soccer, and they’re looking to stay up by making serious changes. Xhaka is at the heart of that strategy, a move to bring in someone who adds experience and football IQ. This isn’t a PR signing. It’s about changing the way the team plays.
He knows the pace and rhythm of English soccer. He spent seven seasons with Arsenal and was a regular starter in almost all of them. He knows the stadiums, the rivalries, the weather, the physicality, and the pressure that comes in the closing minutes. All of that counts. And in a squad with an average age of just 24, his presence could be a game-changer.
Plenty of fans might be asking if it’s really worth spending €20 million on a 32-year-old with a short contract and little resale value. The answer depends on what Sunderland expects from this season. If survival is the goal, this might not be such a bad bet.