Sunderland have completed the signing of Granit Xhaka from Bayer Leverkusen, with the former Arsenal midfielder signing a three-year contract with the newly promoted Premier League side.
The Switzerland international joins the Black Cats for an initial fee of £13 million, with an additional £4 million in potential add-ons.
He will wear the number 34 shirt at the Stadium of Light.
“I’m very proud to be here,” Xhaka said. “When I spoke to the club, I was excited—I felt the energy and the mentality that everyone here has. It’s exactly what I wanted.”
“We are back where this club needs to be, and we want to stay here to write our own history. I feel ready to help the team with my experience and my quality.”
Xhaka, 31, spent seven seasons at Arsenal, making 297 appearances, winning two FA Cups, and briefly captaining the team. He moved to Leverkusen in 2023 and played a crucial role in guiding the club to its first-ever Bundesliga title in his debut season.
Following the departure of manager Xabi Alonso at the end of last season, Xhaka expressed a desire to return to the Premier League, leading to his move to Sunderland.
His arrival takes Sunderland’s summer spending past the £100 million mark. Xhaka becomes the club’s seventh signing of the window, following the arrivals of Enzo Le Fée, Habib Diarra, Noah Sadiki, Reinildo Mandava, Chemsdine Talbi, and Simon Adingra.