When Granit Xhaka was first linked with a move to Sunderland back in the summer, even the most optimistic of us would have thought this was too good to be true. As the links became more detailed, one of the most ambitious signings in our recent history got closer. Once the deal was done and we got a first glimpse of the Swiss captain in a Sunderland shirt, we learned more about the lengths the club went to in order to sign him up. Kyril Louis Dreyfus flew to Leverkusen and pitched our plan to him,
and it was believed that a big part of this was that we had plans to look up rather than just battling to stay up. We are over the halfway point in the season, and this bold strategy is, so far, working a charm. We’ve been in the top half for the entire campaign, and we’re into the fourth round of the FA Cup for only the second time in about a decade, and Xhaka has been a vital part of this all.
Apart from an early, yellow card influenced withdrawal at Manchester City, he’s played every minute of league and cup action this season, and despite being informed by fans of other clubs that his legs had gone, they have not.
At 33 years old, Xhaka is ageing like fine wine, but our skipper brings far more to the club than just a strong figure on the pitch, although his one goal and five assists in 21 games aren’t too bad.
Xhaka has looked his best when the likes of Sadiki and Le Fee are running ahead of him, and there was a concern that during AFCON, with Sadiki away, we’d see our midfield struggle. With someone like Xhaka in there, no matter who is alongside him or who is unavailable, you’re always going to be fine.
On two occasions this season, ironically, both against Everton, Xhaka has shown just why we signed him. In the league game, after which he scored his first Sunderland goal, he came out and said how poor the last training session had been and how the standard wasn’t good enough, citing this as to why we were poor in the first half of that game.
In the cup game on Saturday, Xhaka was fuming with the penalty decision given to Everton towards the end of the game, but was on cloud nine when the game was won. These examples are of a man who is emotionally invested in the club and has already made such a significant impact.
I’m still not used to seeing Granit Xhaka in a Sunderland shirt, never mind with the captain’s armband on too, and every time I see him line up in the red and white stripes I can’t help but smile.
Xhaka is one of the best, if not the best, players many of us have seen at Sunderland, but his winning mentality and charisma are worth even more to us. A lot of our forward momentum this season has been due to Xhaka’s signing. I’ve got no doubt about that, and we can look back already and say he is arguably the most important signing we’ve ever made.
It’s easy to wax lyrical about Granit Xhaka, and although we had high hopes for him when he signed in the summer, I don’t think anyone could have envisioned just how important a player he would be, or how quickly the club would get under his skin.
