Sunderland’s decision to sign midfielder Granit Xhaka from Bayer Leverkusen this summer already looks to be a masterstroke by the club.
Amusingly, former Newcastle United and England winger Chris Waddle
described the move as ‘strange’ when it was first announced.
Given that Waddle is not renowned for his insightful opinions on Sunderland, his comments were a surefire sign that Xhaka would prove to be a shrewd acquisition.
Xhaka’s winning mentality has quickly rubbed off on the rest of the squad, with Sunderland currently sitting in seventh place in the Premier League after eight games.
Teammate Wilson Isidor has already recognised the Switzerland international’s influence, saying his presence at the Stadium of Light has been a game-changer for the club.
“We’re still a promoted team, but you have to look at the quality of our new signings,” Isidor said. “Granit Xhaka, for example, has been nothing but winning for two years with Leverkusen.”
“He brings a winning mentality, even in small games in training. If the quality of the session isn’t good, he’ll yell.
“I have an example – there’s Chris Rigg in the squad, and he’s brought him back into shape. He was a little lazy in training, so he went to talk to him to ask him to change his attitude. That changed him.”
“He’s always demanding. Even when things go well, he keeps pushing us to do better. That’s what winners do.”
While statistics are not always an accurate measure of professional footballers, they undoubtedly paint an intriguing picture where Xhaka is concerned.
He has won 50 duels and 24 aerial duels in eight league appearances, highlighting his penchant for leading by example in the heart of the midfield.
Xhaka rarely loses the ball and understands when to play forward to put the opposition under pressure. For a newly-promoted team, his know-how is invaluable.
His partnership with Noah Sadiki has been a key factor in Sunderland’s excellent start to the season. The youngster is effectively Xhaka’s ‘legs’, making them an ideal midfield pairing.
Sunderland’s 1-0 victory at Nottingham Forest at the end of September was perhaps the best example of the influence Xhaka has had on the team this season.
He not only set up the winning goal for Omar Alderete but left highly touted Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson chasing shadows for most of the game.
Xhaka’s performances for Sunderland may surprise people who remember him being jeered by his own fans during his seven-year stint with Arsenal.
He had several run-ins with spectators, most notably when he made angry gestures in their direction after his substitution against Crystal Palace in 2019 was greeted by cheers.
Xhaka subsequently turned his fortunes around in style at Arsenal, helped in no small part by the support of manager Mikel Arteta.
His decision to leave the Gunners for Leverkusen in 2023 did not cause much furore, yet history now shows just how much they missed him.
Arsenal failed to adequately replace Xhaka following his exit, which contributed to their failure to win the Premier League title in the last two seasons.
Their summer acquisition of Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad has filled the void, highlighting the level of player they needed to supersede him.
Sunderland manager Régis Le Bris is arguably best placed to hammer home the impact Xhaka has had on the club since he moved to the Stadium of Light.
He appointed the former Arsenal star as captain after majority shareholder Kyril Louis-Dreyfus played a key role in luring him to Wearside.
“He was really important because for us it wasn’t a normal signing,” Le Bris said. “It was something totally different, and his involvement was crucial and massive.
“Granit’s impact has been even more than expected, to be fair. Now we’ve experienced as a manager, coaching staff, and teammates the way he behaves every day. His level is really impressive.”
While it is impossible to predict how things will unfold for Sunderland this season, having Xhaka in the team gives them a fighting chance of achieving something special.
The next seven games will provide a useful indicator, with five of the matches pitching them against teams who currently fill the top five places in the table.
The clash with Arsenal at the Stadium of Light on November 8 will be a special occasion for Xhaka, and it will be intriguing to see how he performs against his former club.
If Sunderland can navigate the next few weeks without suffering too many setbacks, they would be well placed to kick on over the festive period.
Given Xhaka’s influence on their fortunes up to this point, it would be no surprise if they continued to defy the odds as the campaign progresses.
