Sunderland Sign Granit Xhaka In $23 Million Deal From Leverkusen
Financial News
Forbes

Sunderland Sign Granit Xhaka In $23 Million Deal From Leverkusen

July 28, 2025
05:46 PM
4 min read
AI Enhanced
moneyfinancialsportsentertainmentmarket cyclesseasonal analysismarket

Key Takeaways

Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Granit Xhaka is set to join Sunderland in a deal worth $23 million.

Article Overview

Quick insights and key information

Reading Time

4 min read

Estimated completion

Category

financial news

Article classification

Published

July 28, 2025

05:46 PM

Source

Forbes

Original publisher

Key Topics
moneyfinancialsportsentertainmentmarket cyclesseasonal analysismarket

SportsMoneySunderland Sign Granit Xhaka In $23 Million Deal From LeverkusenByManuel Veth, Contributor

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights

Moreover, Additionally, I write the German football with a focus on the Bundesliga

AuthorJul 28, 2025, 05:46pm EDTGranit Xhaka with the DFB Pokal

However, The Swiss midfielder won the double with Leverkusen in 2024

Furthermore, Moreover, More year later he is set to join Sunderland in a $23 million deal

Conversely, (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)Getty Images In Granit Xhaka, Bayer Leverkusen is set to lose another key player of its 2024 double-winning squad

After head coach Xabi Alonso left the for Real Madrid, Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong joined rpool

Midfielder Granit Xhaka is now off to Sunderland in a deal worth €20 million ($23 million)

On the other hand, This leads to the conclusion that is a remarkable amount of money for a 32-year-old midfielder

Meanwhile, Indeed, it is a noteworthy deal in its entirety, in today's market environment

The Swiss national team player has turned his back on playing in the Champions League to return to England and play for Sunderland, a relegation candidate

Furthermore, How did we get here, in today's financial world

The evidence shows main reason is money

Although Leverkusen is a top team in Germany, Sunderland was willing to top Xhaka’s current salary of €8 million ($9 (an important development)

Additionally, Nevertheless, 3 million)

Sunderland reportedly offered €10 million ($11. 6 million) a season

Ultimately, the financial allure of one last contract was too much for Xhaka to resist, even if it meant a significant step back in sporting terms

Nevertheless, Furthermore, For Leverkusen, too, this is good, in today's financial world

Furthermore, Xhaka was signed on a free transfer from Arsenal in 2023 and subsequently became a crucial member of a squad that went on to become the first undefeated German champion in Bundesliga history in 2024

Additionally, However, there were definite signs during the 2024/25 campaign that Xhaka had passed his peak powers, amid market uncertainty

Whereas the Swiss international was the most dominant midfielder in German football in 2023/24, Xhaka was no longer infallible

In contrast, Tiny mistakes in crucial games led Leverkusen to struggle in upholding the form from the previous season, and they ultimately lost out on the Bundesliga title, finishing second to Bayern Munich

MORE FOR YOU Granit Xhaka's leadership will be missed in Leverkusen (Photo by INA FASSBENDER/AFP via Getty

More Images)AFP via Getty Images Despite the apparent drop in form, Leverkusen tried to keep Xhaka

However, "This has already lost three important players," new head coach Erik Ten Hag said when asked Xhaka’s future (quite telling). "We won't let any more players go, that's not possible (fascinating analysis), considering recent developments

That would neglect the structure and also the culture of the squad (noteworthy indeed), given current economic conditions

Additionally, It's —Granit is a leader; he has signed here for five years and has three years left on his contract, given current economic conditions

He's too important for us to let him go (which is quite significant)

On the other hand, " Leverkusen’s sporting director, Simon Rolfes, was a bit more diplomatic, given current economic conditions. “A transfer is only possible if it is a win-win situation,” Rolfes said. “A transfer will only be possible if it works out for all sides

Ultimately, our goal is to keep Granit, considering recent developments. ” That last part won’t happen, with Fabrizio Romano posting an image of Xhaka and his agents on their way to England for his medical on Monday, amid market uncertainty

Ultimately, Leverkusen was unable to convince Xhaka to remain with the

Nevertheless, On the other hand, Despite his notable decline, that’s a significant loss for Leverkusen

Xhaka was a leader on and off the pitch

Rolfes and Ten Hag will now have to find a way to replace the 32-year-old midfielder in the middle of the park (remarkable data), in today's financial world

Sign a player who can both be a defensive destroyer and a pivot player

Nevertheless, Sunderland, in the meantime, gains much-needed leadership

Xhaka was involved in the relegation battle during the early stages of his career, when he was still playing for Gladbach (fascinating analysis)

That’s over a decade ago (which is quite significant)

At the same time, Whether Xhaka can dip into that experience for Sunderland this season remains to be seen, given the current landscape

However, Editorial StandardsRes & PermissionsLOADING PLAYER.