Sunderland Sign Granit Xhaka In $23 Million Deal From Leverkusen

In Granit Xhaka, Bayer Leverkusen is set to lose another key player of its 2024 double-winning squad. After head coach Xabi Alonso left the club for Real Madrid, Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong joined Liverpool. Midfielder Granit Xhaka is now off to Sunderland in a deal worth €20 million ($23 million).

It is a remarkable amount of money for a 32-year-old midfielder. Indeed, it is a noteworthy deal in its entirety. The Swiss national team player has turned his back on playing in the Champions League to return to England and play for Sunderland, a relegation candidate.

How did we get here? The main reason is money. Although Leverkusen is a top team in Germany, Sunderland was willing to top Xhaka’s current salary of €8 million ($9.3 million). Sunderland reportedly offered €10 million ($11.6 million) a season.

Ultimately, the financial allure of one last contract was too much for Xhaka to resist, even if it meant a significant step back in sporting terms. For Leverkusen, too, this is good business.

Xhaka was signed on a free transfer from Arsenal in 2023 and subsequently became a crucial member of a squad that went on to become the first undefeated German champion in Bundesliga history in 2024. However, there were definite signs during the 2024/25 campaign that Xhaka had passed his peak powers.

Whereas the Swiss international was the most dominant midfielder in German football in 2023/24, Xhaka was no longer infallible. Tiny mistakes in crucial games led Leverkusen to struggle in upholding the form from the previous season, and they ultimately lost out on the Bundesliga title, finishing second to Bayern Munich.

Despite the apparent drop in form, Leverkusen tried to keep Xhaka. “This club has already lost three important players,” new head coach Erik Ten Hag said when asked about Xhaka’s future. “We won’t let any more players go, that’s not possible. That would neglect the structure and also the culture of the squad. It’s clear—Granit is a leader; he has signed here for five years and has three years left on his contract. He’s too important for us to let him go.”

Leverkusen’s sporting director, Simon Rolfes, was a bit more diplomatic. “A transfer is only possible if it is a win-win situation,” Rolfes said. “A transfer will only be possible if it works out for all sides. Ultimately, our goal is to keep Granit.”

That last part won’t happen, with Fabrizio Romano posting an image of Xhaka and his agents on their way to England for his medical on Monday. Ultimately, Leverkusen was unable to convince Xhaka to remain with the club.

Despite his notable decline, that’s a significant loss for Leverkusen. Xhaka was a leader on and off the pitch. Rolfes and Ten Hag will now have to find a way to replace the 32-year-old midfielder in the middle of the park. Sign a player who can both be a defensive destroyer and a pivot player.

Sunderland, in the meantime, gains much-needed leadership. Xhaka was involved in the relegation battle during the early stages of his career, when he was still playing for Gladbach. That’s over a decade ago. Whether Xhaka can dip into that experience for Sunderland this season remains to be seen.