Xhaka: Bayer Leverkusen Midfielder Heading Back to English Football in Big-Money Move

Sunderland have agreed a fee worth up to €20million (£13.4m; $23.3m) with Bayer Leverkusen for the signing of Granit Xhaka, marking a dramatic return to the Premier League for the Swiss international.

The deal includes €15m up front and a further €5m in potential add-ons. Xhaka is expected to undergo a medical within the next 24 to 48 hours before finalizing the move.

The 32-year-old midfielder, who captains Switzerland, had informed Leverkusen of his desire to join Sunderland, despite offers to stay in the Bundesliga or move to Saudi Arabia.

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Xhaka leaves Leverkusen after a stellar 2023-24 campaign in which he made 49 appearances across all competitions and helped the club secure their first-ever Bundesliga title and DFB-Pokal trophy.

His arrival represents a seismic shift in Sunderland's recruitment strategy under Kyril Louis-Dreyfus.

Since taking over in early 2021, the club has largely pursued a youth-first policy, signing players with long-term development potential and resale value.

That trend remained evident this summer, with Sunderland spending over £100million on six signings—most of them 21 or under—including Habib Diarra, Noah Sadiki, Chemsdine Talbi, and Simon Adingra.

The club also confirmed the permanent transfer of Enzo Le Fée after a successful loan spell.

However, the signing of Xhaka, a seasoned veteran with nearly 300 appearances for Arsenal and two FA Cup wins, signals a new layer to the club’s strategy: adding proven Premier League experience to stabilize a youthful squad.

It is the first major financial outlay on a player over the age of 30 by the current ownership, with no expectation of future resale. Instead, the focus is on immediate impact and leadership.

Xhaka’s presence will bolster a midfield that recently lost Jobe Bellingham to Borussia Dortmund for £30m. While the club added talent in Diarra, Sadiki, and Le Fée, Xhaka’s experience offers something different—positional discipline, tactical intelligence, and dressing room authority.

Sunderland’s head coach Régis Le Bris, sometimes criticized last season for a lack of in-game adaptability, will now have far greater flexibility in midfield.

The abundance of options may spark speculation over the futures of existing players like Dan Neil and Chris Rigg, but the added competition is a welcome headache for a club aiming to survive and thrive in the Premier League.

Xhaka’s move comes amid broader changes at Leverkusen, who have also seen Jeremie Frimpong and Florian Wirtz leave this summer.