Granit Xhaka explains the decision to leave Bayer Leverkusen and sign for Premier League new boys Sunderland in his first interview.
Sunderland will pay an initial £13m fee for the Swiss midfielder, with the potential for an extra £4m in add-ons, signing a three-year contract.
He brings extensive experience from 225 Arsenal appearances, two FA Cup wins, and captaining Switzerland to a record 137 caps.
Xhaka played a key role in Leverkusen’s invincible 2023-24 season, winning the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal. But now, in his words, he gets set for the biggest challenge of his career.
Ranked 16th in the 2024 Ballon d’Or, Xhaka aims to help Sunderland establish themselves in the Premier League, and will wear the number 34 shirt.
This isn’t just a Club, this is Sunderland.
Welcome back to the @PremierLeague, Granit Xhaka! 😍 pic.twitter.com/MLfHyKBVzo
— Sunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) July 30, 2025
CLUB STATEMENT:
Sunderland AFC is delighted to announce the signing of Granit Xhaka, subject to international clearance.
The midfielder arrives from Bayer 04 Leverkusen for an undisclosed fee and signs a three-year contract at the Stadium of Light.
Ever-present at the pinnacle of the game throughout the last decade, Xhaka represented Arsenal 225 times in the Premier League and won the Emirates FA Cup twice, whilst also captaining the Gunners.
A remarkable period followed his arrival at the BayArena in 2023, as Leverkusen’s record-shattering invincible season saw Xabi Alonso’s side win their first-ever Bundesliga title and second DFB-Pokal.
Ranked 16th in the 2024 Ballon d’Or voting, Xhaka has captained Switzerland since 2020 and is the nation’s record appearance holder with 137 caps.
Upon arrival, Xhaka said: “I’m very proud to be here. When I spoke to the Club, I was excited and I felt the energy, and the mentality that all the people and players have. It’s exactly what I wanted, and I have a very good feeling. We are back to where this Club needs to be, and we want to stay here to write our own history. I feel that I’m ready to help the team with my experience but with quality as well. We need to find ourselves on the pitch, but I don’t think this will be a big problem. It’s been a long time to wait, but I’m here now and I’m looking forward to it.”
Kristjaan Speakman added: “We’re delighted to welcome Granit and his family to Sunderland. His arrival is a significant endorsement of our ambition and our desire to build a team our supporters can be proud of in the Premier League. His accomplishments and quality need little introduction – he’s a player of the highest calibre on and off the field, who we feel is the perfect match to the profile required in our team. We look forward to helping him settle on Wearside and are excited to see the impact he can make on the field and within our dressing room.”
Xhaka started his career with FC Concordia Basel before joining FC Basel in 2002, aged 10.
After rising through the ranks, including being a member of the Under-15 team that won the Swiss championship with a 100%-win record, he progressed into the senior team under Thorsten Fink ahead of the 2020-11 season.
He made his debut in a UEFA Champions League tie against Debreceni VSC and scored within four minutes, with his first league appearance following soon after.
After winning back-to-back Swiss titles, Xhaka joined Borussia Mönchengladbach in May 2012, and he was named in the Bundesliga Team of the Season for the 2014-15 campaign.
A seven-year association with Arsenal started in May 2016 and included two Emirates FA Cup successes, two FA Community Shield wins, and 297 appearances.
Xhaka scored 23 goals and contributed 29 assists in North London, cementing his place as a fan favourite at the Emirates Stadium before exiting to join Leverkusen in July 2023.
Further success followed at the BayArena, as Leverkusen won an historic first Bundesliga title and the DFB-Pokal during an invincible domestic season that also saw them reach the UEFA Europa League final.
Xhaka was named Swiss Footballer of the Year in 2017, 2022, and 2023, and has been an integral member of the national team since 2011, featuring at the 2014, 2018, and 2022 FIFA World Cups.
The 32-year-old midfielder will wear the number 34 shirt, with the Club’s 2025-26 home and away shirts now on sale.
Xhaka said: “It’s a different type of pressure for sure.
“For myself, for the club but also for the teammates. I have a good feeling, I am seeing where we can make a big change and I want to be a part of that.
“I have a good feeling, I am seeing something where we can make be a big change and I wanted to be a part of this. To write our own history.
“I was in the UK for seven years before and I know the mentality. I know the league and what you can expect from me is a lot of experience from different types of European football.
“In a team, you need a good balance with young players and experienced players. I am still not finished, I am hungry to achieve many things.
“I also have a big mentality, how to work day-by-day to achieve the goals that we have at the Club. To also help each other by giving the good feeling with belief. That is me.
“This may be the biggest challenge of my career so far. But I took it and I want to show that day-by-day and on the pitch as well.
“I am sure this team will give everything on the pitch. From the first whistle ‘til the end. Whatever happens, we need the support of the club from the fans but we will give everything and hopefully we can achieve our goals.”
📩 (1) new message from Granit Xhaka. pic.twitter.com/u3qgRM4n07
— Sunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) July 30, 2025
Régis Le Bris said: “First of all, it’s a massive statement about the attractiveness of the club.
“If a player of that dimension says yes to our project, it means something.
“I have to congratulate the people behind the scenes for completing the move. It makes a big noise and that is something we are looking to do this season.
“For the squad, it’s really important. We started our recruitment with talented young players but the second layer is to balance the squad with more experience. With what he has achieved in the game, Granit is really good for that.
“It’s really clear what he will bring to the squad. At the same time, his level his high.
“He brings many things for the balance of the squad. He’s a captain, a leader, has strong experience in the Premier League and the national team. This piece in our structure will be really important to balance the squad. We’re really happy.
“He’s still at top with a specific style of play so it’s really important to feel these pillars in our structure because it gives confidence to everyone for the Premier League.”
Twitter users reacted as Granit Xhaka explains the decision to leave Bayer Leverkusen and sign for Sunderland…
@chuckdavie: Every Arsenal fans soft spot club for 25/26. Good luck Sunderland, good luck Granit. Looking forward to welcoming you all to the Emirates on 7th Feb
@now_arsenaI: I hope you stay up
@eb92safc: Reminds me of when we signed Stefan Schwarz in 1999. A real statement signing 👏
@Philip_RJ89: What a signing this could be for us! Welcome, Granit 👊🏻
@RoryFallow: Less than four years ago I watched us lose 5-1 away to Rotherham in League One. To say that this signing is exciting isn’t doing it justice
@rstainbank: Bloody hell. Let’s just say that if you told me three months ago this would happen, I would have expressed no small amount of scepticism.
@Daviddbrownn22: Honestly can’t wrap my head around this man. Ya fucking little beauty man
@JL_1872: Sitting on the bus outside the Toughsheet after losing 0-6 at Bolton, standing on the terrace in the torrential rain at Accrington, watching us concede 5 at Rotherham. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think we’d return to signing global stars like Xhaka. Unbelievable 😭❤️
@BlackcatLegal: What a signing! All this talk of the “ambitious project” makes me feel whilst survival is the plan this season, good cup runs and maybe even a final in the next few years is very much on their roadmap. Surely a player like this does not move without the ambition of a medal…
@dannyb_31: Great to see you lads having a proper go this summer! Puts our spending last summer to shame (Ayew, Bobby Reid and Oliver Skipp 🥴) I’d be very worried if I was a Wolves, Brentford or West Ham fan at the moment… could be the year the 3 up 3 down mould breaks 🤞🏻 All the best!
@NikkiJude: Welcome Granit – Christ Alive it’s incredible to have you ❤️🤍
@Harry4546778: Oasis and xhaka same day timed to get carried away 😍
@antoneee_x: Refuse to get carried away about Sunderland this season with unrealistic targets. So i think we will only manage to win the League title & the FA Cup this season & not the treble.
@laurenkenny1993: How on earth we have managed to secure this signing is madness. Welcome lad
@LimbsSunderland: How isn’t this age restricted? Because it’s made me hard 😍
