Sunderland all set to sign former Arsenal star

Published July 29, 2025 at 12:13 pm

Written by Aryann Gupta

Granit Xhaka has been given the nod to travel to England and complete his transfer to Sunderland. The former Arsenal player will undergo a medical before proceeding to sign his new contract at Sunderland.

The Black Cats agreed on a transfer fee with Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen. As per Sky Sports, the fee could be in the region of £17 million – £13 million up front with up to £4 million in add-ons.

The Premier League side finalised the personal terms with Xhaka’s negotiating team last week. Xhaka will be signing a 3-year contract at the Stadium of Light.

The transfer details

Leverkusen were firm in the negotiations and stood their ground. Sunderland eventually upped their bid by £7 million before an agreement was reached, allowing Xhaka to undergo a medical in England.

Xhaka was an instrumental part of Xabi Alonso’s Leverkusen that won the Bundesliga unbeaten. In the 2024/25 season, the former Arsenal player made 33 appearances, scoring on two occasions and setting up seven goals for his teammates.

Xhaka’s calmness and composure, along with the vast experience to his credit, would have made the decision for the new Leverkusen boss, Eric Ten Hag, extremely difficult.

Speaking to the press last weekend, Ten Hag stated that it would be extremely difficult to let go of the services of the midfielder. Leverkusen already made the decision to sell Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong and Jonatahn Tah. Ten Hag was quoted saying –

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“This club has already sold three important players,

We won’t let go of any more players; that’s not possible. That would neglect the structure and culture of the squad.

Clearly, Granit is a leader. He signed for five years and has three years left on his contract. He’s too important for us to let go.”

The Premier League connection

Xhaka is a proven Premier League midfielder, having played nearly 300 times for Arsenal. Despite occasional disciplinary issues, Xhaka will be a worthy addition to the squad at the Stadium of Light.

His stability in midfield could be vital to Sunderland especially after selling Jobe Bellingham to Dortmund. Xhaka will be a vital cog in the Blackcats team who could be facing a relegation battle by the end of the coming season.