Transfer Rumours Summer Transfer window
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Someone call the builders, we’ve got a Granit Roef!
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I love the fact that we’re announcing him the same day that we signed o’nien 7 years ago
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Neil has been playing musical chairs with the club ...
... now the music's stopped and there's no chairs left imo.
All a little sad and I can't see a way back, I think he was at Sunderland so long he thought he was integral.
Sadly/happily no one is bigger than the club.
Anyone got any ideas what cleaning substance is best for getting jizz out of your pants?
He’s going to flatten Bruno on Derby day. It’s Catts v Colback all over again. I can’t wait.
The difference between how we presented ourselves in the playoffs may just have made a difference.
SAFC looked totally professional ...
... United and Wilder looked like a bunch of scruffs turning up for a friendly at Grimsby
As a person who works in video myself, the quality of that video makes me very happy
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Sunderland AFC is delighted to announce the signing of Granit Xhaka, subject to international clearance.
The midfielder arrives from Bayer 04 Leverkusen for an undisclosed fee and signs a three-year contract at the Stadium of Light.
Ever-present at the pinnacle of the game throughout the last decade, Xhaka represented Arsenal 225 times in the Premier League and won the Emirates FA Cup twice, whilst also captaining the Gunners.
A remarkable period followed his arrival at the BayArena in 2023, as Leverkusen’s record-shattering invincible season saw Xabi Alonso’s side win their first-ever Bundesliga title and second DFB-Pokal.
Ranked 16th in the 2024 Ballon d’Or voting, Xhaka has captained Switzerland since 2020 and is the nation’s record appearance holder with 137 caps.
Upon arrival, Xhaka said: “I’m very proud to be here. When I spoke to the Club, I was excited and I felt the energy, and the mentality that all the people and players have. It’s exactly what I wanted, and I have a very good feeling. We are back to where this Club needs to be, and we want to stay here to write our own history. I feel that I’m ready to help the team with my experience but with quality as well. We need to find ourselves on the pitch, but I don’t think this will be a big problem. It’s been a long time to wait, but I’m here now and I’m looking forward to it.”
Kristjaan Speakman added: “We’re delighted to welcome Granit and his family to Sunderland. His arrival is a significant endorsement of our ambition and our desire to build a team our supporters can be proud of in the Premier League. His accomplishments and quality need little introduction – he’s a player of the highest calibre on and off the field, who we feel is the perfect match to the profile required in our team. We look forward to helping him settle on Wearside and are excited to see the impact he can make on the field and within our dressing room.”
Xhaka started his career with FC Concordia Basel before joining FC Basel in 2002, aged 10.
After rising through the ranks, including being a member of the Under-15 team that won the Swiss championship with a 100%-win record, he progressed into the senior team under Thorsten Fink ahead of the 2020-11 season.
He made his debut in a UEFA Champions League tie against Debreceni VSC and scored within four minutes, with his first league appearance following soon after.
After winning back-to-back Swiss titles, Xhaka joined Borussia Mönchengladbach in May 2012, and he was named in the Bundesliga Team of the Season for the 2014-15 campaign.
A seven-year association with Arsenal started in May 2016 and included two Emirates FA Cup successes, two FA Community Shield wins, and 297 appearances.
Xhaka scored 23 goals and contributed 29 assists in North London, cementing his place as a fan favourite at the Emirates Stadium before exiting to join Leverkusen in July 2023.
Further success followed at the BayArena, as Leverkusen won an historic first Bundesliga title and the DFB-Pokal during an invincible domestic season that also saw them reach the UEFA Europa League final.
Xhaka was named Swiss Footballer of the Year in 2017, 2022, and 2023, and has been an integral member of the national team since 2011, featuring at the 2014, 2018, and 2022 FIFA World Cups.
The 32-year-old midfielder will wear the number 34 shirt, with the Club’s 2025-26 home and away shirts now on sale.
The midfielder arrives from Bayer 04 Leverkusen for an undisclosed fee and signs a three-year contract at the Stadium of Light.
Ever-present at the pinnacle of the game throughout the last decade, Xhaka represented Arsenal 225 times in the Premier League and won the Emirates FA Cup twice, whilst also captaining the Gunners.
A remarkable period followed his arrival at the BayArena in 2023, as Leverkusen’s record-shattering invincible season saw Xabi Alonso’s side win their first-ever Bundesliga title and second DFB-Pokal.
Ranked 16th in the 2024 Ballon d’Or voting, Xhaka has captained Switzerland since 2020 and is the nation’s record appearance holder with 137 caps.
Upon arrival, Xhaka said: “I’m very proud to be here. When I spoke to the Club, I was excited and I felt the energy, and the mentality that all the people and players have. It’s exactly what I wanted, and I have a very good feeling. We are back to where this Club needs to be, and we want to stay here to write our own history. I feel that I’m ready to help the team with my experience but with quality as well. We need to find ourselves on the pitch, but I don’t think this will be a big problem. It’s been a long time to wait, but I’m here now and I’m looking forward to it.”
Kristjaan Speakman added: “We’re delighted to welcome Granit and his family to Sunderland. His arrival is a significant endorsement of our ambition and our desire to build a team our supporters can be proud of in the Premier League. His accomplishments and quality need little introduction – he’s a player of the highest calibre on and off the field, who we feel is the perfect match to the profile required in our team. We look forward to helping him settle on Wearside and are excited to see the impact he can make on the field and within our dressing room.”
Xhaka started his career with FC Concordia Basel before joining FC Basel in 2002, aged 10.
After rising through the ranks, including being a member of the Under-15 team that won the Swiss championship with a 100%-win record, he progressed into the senior team under Thorsten Fink ahead of the 2020-11 season.
He made his debut in a UEFA Champions League tie against Debreceni VSC and scored within four minutes, with his first league appearance following soon after.
After winning back-to-back Swiss titles, Xhaka joined Borussia Mönchengladbach in May 2012, and he was named in the Bundesliga Team of the Season for the 2014-15 campaign.
A seven-year association with Arsenal started in May 2016 and included two Emirates FA Cup successes, two FA Community Shield wins, and 297 appearances.
Xhaka scored 23 goals and contributed 29 assists in North London, cementing his place as a fan favourite at the Emirates Stadium before exiting to join Leverkusen in July 2023.
Further success followed at the BayArena, as Leverkusen won an historic first Bundesliga title and the DFB-Pokal during an invincible domestic season that also saw them reach the UEFA Europa League final.
Xhaka was named Swiss Footballer of the Year in 2017, 2022, and 2023, and has been an integral member of the national team since 2011, featuring at the 2014, 2018, and 2022 FIFA World Cups.
The 32-year-old midfielder will wear the number 34 shirt, with the Club’s 2025-26 home and away shirts now on sale.
P
Prehab26
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Have to admit I didn’t think it would happen and didn’t think he was our type but watching last night I thought that he is exactly what we’re missing and I’m buzzing. A defensive equivalent- a solid physical leader would be nice sometime soon.
We've started to look at players now and think 'WTF, why not us' ...
... nothing will surprise me with this club.
We lost our winning scorer, in the last few minutes of the final, and a real talent which we thought might hurt us.
We were rated 'a very poor third best promoted team' by the bookies and pundits ...
... now we're pushing those odds and the window hasn't even closed yet.
Other supporters kept trotting out 'lowest points total ever' ... they've gone quiet
What a massive difference in a month
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