The possibility of former Arsenal stalwart Granit Xhaka making a sensational return to English football with Sunderland has hit a snag, courtesy of his Bayer Leverkusen manager, Erik ten Hag. The 32-year-old Swiss midfielder, who brought his North London chapter to a close in the summer of 2023 after a seven-year tenure, including spells as captain and lifting the FA Cup and Community Shield twice, found pastures new in Germany. In his inaugural season at Leverkusen, Xhaka enjoyed monumental success, helping secure an unbeaten Bundesliga and a German Cup double, seemingly cementing his departure from the Premier League for good.
However, an unexpected twist emerged as recently promoted Sunderland, looking to bolster their ranks, made a surprising approach to bring the seasoned campaigner back to England. According to Xhaka’s agent, Jose Noguera, an agreement has been reached in principle with the Wearside club. Noguera conveyed to Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg: “We’ve reached an agreement in principle with Sunderland. Granit is excited by the prospect of returning to the Premier League and is eager to embrace this challenge. We hope Leverkusen will honour his wishes to leave and that a final agreement can be negotiated soon.”
Yet, according to German outlet BILD, Ten Hag, the former Manchester United boss now at the helm of Leverkusen, is not taking too kindly to this potential move. “The agent can make all the claims he likes, but given that we’ve already parted ways with three key players, we cannot afford to lose any more,” asserted Ten Hag, 55, while speaking to reporters during their pre-season preparations in Brazil. “This would undermine both the structure and the culture of our squad. Granit is an indispensable leader. He has committed to a five-year contract, with three years still remaining. He’s far too integral for us to consider letting him go.”
For his part, Xhaka has remained silent thus far, with BILD hinting at contractual constraints preventing any public comment. Meanwhile, Leverkusen’s sporting director, Simon Rolfes, noted: “Granit has always been a pivotal figure in our squad. The coach and I see eye to eye on this matter.” On the subject of Noguera’s remarks, Rolfes added: “Discussions and debates are par for the course in football. It’s all part of the business, so I’m not startled by it.”
Should Xhaka’s return to England materialise, he would have the enticing prospect of facing his former club Arsenal. The first clash is slated for Saturday, November 8, when the Gunners travel to the Stadium of Light, with a reverse fixture at the Emirates pencilled in for Saturday, February 8, 2026.
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