Sunderland have received a major boost ahead of their first European campaign, with their captain, Granit Xhaka, making clear he has absolutely no intention of leaving the Stadium of Light this summer. Speaking to Swiss outlet Blick, relayed by Sport Witness, the 33-year-old midfielder stated that he and his family are settled on Wearside and that transfer speculation holds no place in his thoughts. He said his move from Bayer Leverkusen last summer was not impulsive but instead followed lengthy conversations with Sunderland’s owner, sporting director, and manager before he put pen to paper.
Sunderland Captain Commits Future After Stunning Premier League Debut Season
“To be honest, I’m not surprised,” he said.
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“Throughout my career, I’ve always made all my decisions based on my gut feeling. The move from Leverkusen to Sunderland wasn’t a snap decision. I had a lot of discussions with the owner, sporting director, and manager before I signed.”
“Sure, you could say that winning the league title with Leverkusen was a bit of a surprise. The same goes for this season, finishing seventh in the Premier League as a newly promoted team. But I see it a little differently because I see all the hard work that goes into these successes. If you work hard day in and day out, you can achieve a lot.”
The Swiss international made 36 appearances across all competitions in his debut campaign, driving the Black Cats towards European qualification and finishing the season as Sunderland’s Player of the Year. He scored once and assisted six times across 32 Premier League appearances, contributing leadership and structural control in equal measure. Despite reports from Turkey linking him with a surprise move to Besiktas, Sunderland’s position remains firm, as the club want to retain him and he remains under contract until 2028.
He drew a striking comparison between Sunderland and Basel, referencing the St. Johann district where he grew up, and described the city as feeling like a second home. He also praised manager Regis Le Bris warmly, likening him to Arsène Wenger for the calmness and deep tactical focus he brings to training each day. The captain concluded firmly that he is focusing entirely on the World Cup this summer and welcomes, for once in his career, a transfer window free of rumours about his future.
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Sunderland’s Best Move Is Simply Keeping Hold Of Him
SUNDERLAND, ENGLAND – MAY 24: Granit Xhaka of Sunderland celebrates victory following the Premier League match between Sunderland and Chelsea at the Stadium of Light on May 24, 2026 in Sunderland, England. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)
There is a version of this summer where Sunderland‘s ambition gets the better of their judgment, and they allow distractions to creep into what should be a clean, focused pre-season. Keeping their captain removes that risk entirely.
Former Sunderland midfielder Tommy Miller said that as soon as Regis Le Bris brought Xhaka through the door, everyone around the club knew they were going to have a serious go at the Premier League. That opinion proved exactly right. A newly promoted side finishing seventh and qualifying for Europe is not accidental, and no single figure did more to influence that outcome than their captain.
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Sunderland now face the Europa League, a step up in squad depth requirements, and a fanbase whose expectations have justifiably grown. As one former player noted, if Xhaka leaves, it would be a massive miss, because he has been truly instrumental in everything Sunderland achieved this season. Replacing his experience, composure, and leadership in one transfer window, while simultaneously building for Europe, would be an enormous ask for any club at this level.
Sunderland are already plotting moves to add depth to the squad, with Le Bris reportedly pursuing a similar profile of experienced, proven midfielder to complement his existing group. That tells its own story. The template they are following is their captain. Selling the original to buy an imitation makes no sense at all.
He is contracted until 2028, settled, happy, and performing at the top of his game. For Sunderland, the decision requires no debate.
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