What Next For Granit Xhaka?
Phil Smith looks at what the future might hold for our club captain and talismanic Swiss international.
SUNDERLAND, ENGLAND - APRIL 12: Granit Xhaka of Sunderland celebrates victory following the Premier League match between Sunderland and Tottenham Hotspur at Stadium of Light on April 12, 2026 in Sunderland, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images) | Getty Images Granit Xhaka’s move to Sunderland raised eyebrows when it was announced, as a top class international joining a newly-promoted side with genuine relegation concerns seemed unlikely. It’s fair to say it’s worked out well, but what does the future hold?
First, the positives, and Xhaka’s on-field performance. There are two elements to that: his own play and his standard of on-field organisation. His defensive and ball-regaining statistics are impressive, but perhaps just as important is his pass completion rate into the final third, where he currently ranks third among all Premier League players.
On field stats? Great, but what about organisation? In almost every post-match summary, Régis Le Bris highlights the team’s ability to solve problems in real time (or not).
That’s where Xhaka — because of his on-field positioning, his experience and his personality — excels. So, assuming we hadn’t signed him this season but every other signing had still arrived (see below), would we have survived? I suggest yes, but it would’ve been close.
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