Granit Xhaka has reportedly told Bayer Leverkusen he “only wants” to join Sunderland as the former Arsenal midfielder nears a Premier League return.
Last week it was reported that Sunderland had entered the race to sign the 32-year-old and were looking at a €10m deal to bring him back to England two years after he left
Now, in David Ornstein’s latest update for The Athleticthe Swiss midfielder is said to have informed his current employers that the Stadium of Light is his only choice of destination and that he wants to ‘close the proposed transfer rapidly.’
Preparing for their return to the top flight, Regis Le Bris’ team have already signed Habib Diarra, Simon Adingra, Chemsdine Talbi, Reinildo and Noah Sadiki but Xhaka’s arrival would bring some much-needed Premier League experience.
The midfielder joined Arsenal in 2016, going on to make 297 appearances for the Gunners over the course of seven years.
He left the Emirates and England to move to Leverkusen in 2023, winning the Bundesliga in his first season as part of Xabi Alonso’s invincible team.
But with Alonso leaving this summer to manage Madrid, it has been a period of transition for the German club who finished 13 points off champions Bayern Munich last year.
As well as the manager departing, Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong have also left, both to Liverpool, while Odilon Kossounou has gone to Atalanta.
In the dugout, former Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag was appointed head coach in May.
As for the Xhaka move, the deal is by no means completed with Sunderland facing competition for the player’s signature.
Belgian journalist Sacha Tavolieri said the Black Cats were battling Saudi Arabian club NEOM SC to land the midfielder.
Tavolieri wrote on X: ‘EXCLUSIVE: Sunderland AFC enters in the race for… Granit Xhaka! Bayer Leverkusen & #SAFC through club owner Kyril Louis Dreyfus are now in talks about a €10M deal. Facing competition from NEOM SC, Black Cats try a sensational move & offered Xhaka a 3 years contract.’
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Xhaka still has three years on his contract but it is understood he would be allowed to leave this summer, although Bild say the club is demanding €20m.
The German outlet suggests Xhaka and his father/agent Ragip are hopeful of a bid from Inter Milan but have received no such thing as of yet. They also say a move to Turkey could be possible.
‘It’s an open secret in the industry that his father, Ragip, has long acted as an intermediary and is very active in the market. He is in talks with clubs. This was the case with Milan, among others, but Leverkusen never received an offer from the other Milanese club.
‘The two major Istanbul clubs, Fenerbahce and Galatasaray, are reportedly interested. There is a market for Xhaka in Turkey, it is said.’
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