With speculation about Xhaka’s future continuing to swirl yet no shortage of potential successors should the Swiss midfielder leave Sunderland for Chelsea, it seems prudent to consider who might be best-placed to inherit the armband and lead the Lads into what could be a landmark 2026/2027 season.
Following Xhaka mightn’t be the easiest task in the world, yet there are plenty of players with the credentials and the status to potentially assume the role.
Of course, should Xhaka’s mooted move to Stamford
Bridge materialise, we may yet make a marquee signing in the form of a player that could pick up the baton, but should we decide to promote from within, who are the leading candidates?
Enzo Le Fée
In my view, the outstanding candidate for the role and a man for whom leadership may have the added benefit of bringing about an even greater upturn in performance — assuming that’s possible, given how dazzling the Frenchman has been since his arrival in January 2025.
Le Fée’s status and importance to this Sunderland side is in no doubt — many fans would claim he’s our most valuable player overall — and the role he played last season was vital as we qualified for the Europa League.
His mentality is elite; his resilience is admirable, his ability on the ball is sublime and his work rate out of possession is relentless. He also shares a notably productive relationship with Régis Le Bris and the mutual trust and admiration between player and head coach is obvious.
You could argue that a player such as Le Fée is best utilised without the added burden of leadership to occupy him, but I don’t see that as a barrier to assuming the armband and he should certainly be in the mix if the role becomes available later this summer.
Dan Ballard
Possibly the purists’ choice, Ballard’s commitment and loyalty to Sunderland are in no doubt, having pushed his body to Ben Stokes-like levels in pursuit of success during four memorable years at the Stadium of Light.
He’s never given anything less than 100% in a red and white shirt and although his 2025/2026 season ended in somewhat comical fashion with a red card at Wolves, he proved his top flight credentials and then some during the preceding games, with a series of wholehearted and ferociously confrontational displays at the heart of the defence.
Is he ready to possibly make the step up and to evolve from a foot soldier to a general, taking on the responsibility of leading his teammates into the dual challenge of European and domestic football?
In theory, he should be entering his prime years as a defender and he’s clearly a respected figure at the club, so this could be his chance to step forward.
Reinildo
Could the former Mozambique international be a left-field choice if the role becomes available?
Experience-wise, he’s more than qualified as a former Atlético Madrid stalwart, and having proven himself as a superb addition on a free transfer last season, he’s already established himself as first choice in a key position, with his class, athleticism and know-how proving vital throughout the 2025/2026 season. His buoyant personality is impossible to dislike and I have a feeling he’s an immensely popular player in the dressing room.
On the other hand, he does have a penchant for the occasional rash challenge and he’s clearly someone that plays on the edge, with an early-season red card against Aston Villa the result of being lured into a reaction by the visitors’ Matty Cash, but would the captaincy curb that and make him a calmer and more level-headed presence at the back?
A long shot, perhaps.
Trai Hume
The former Linfield defender is now a Sunderland veteran, with 2026/2027 marking his fifth full season on Wearside after his bargain switch from Linfield in 2022 and subsequently playing a key role for the Lads ever since.
Hugely respected by the fans, a reliable Le Bris lieutenant and a rugged and reliable presence to boot, Hume has already gained experience in a leadership role as captain of Northern Ireland and would doubtless throw himself into the role of Sunderland captain with gusto if chosen.
Question marks may linger over his best position and whether his hybrid midfield role is a long-term solution, but leading this club places a great deal of emphasis on attitude and application, both of which Hume embodies in spades, and for one of our best ever pound-for-pound signings to captain the club that brought him across the Irish Sea would be another ringing endorsement of our recruitment in recent years.
Nordi Mukiele
Arguably the classiest defender to play for Sunderland in nigh on thirty years, former PSG and Bayer Leverkusen centre back Mukiele boasts the pedigree and experience to make a very strong case for a leadership role.
A de-facto general on the pitch and the glue that holds the defence together, Mukiele seems to relish his role within this side and what would potentially set him apart in any potential decision regarding the captaincy is his composure — something he possesses in abundance and that Xhaka demonstrated on a regular basis when the pressure was on last season.
There’s also an argument that like Ballard, Mukiele, as a central defender, would be ideally positioned to see games unfold and therefore exert a greater influence on proceedings from his position in the middle of the backline. Furthermore, Le Bris clearly likes his on-field leaders to boast big personalities and the ability to inspire those around them, and Mukiele ticks both boxes emphatically.
