Sunderland Secures Granit Xhaka in Premier League Return

Granit Xhaka, the Swiss midfielder, has signed a three-year contract with Sunderland, marking his return to the Premier League. This move comes two years after his departure from Arsenal, where he played for seven seasons, to join Bayer Leverkusen. The announcement was made by the English club on Wednesday.

During his time at Leverkusen, Xhaka achieved significant success, including winning the Bundesliga title and reaching the Europa League final in his debut season. While the transfer fee was not officially revealed, reports from English media suggest Sunderland secured Xhaka for a sum of 17.3 million pounds.

The transfer to the newly-promoted Premier League club follows a statement from Leverkusen's manager, Erik ten Hag, who had expressed that Xhaka was too crucial for the team to release just a week prior.

In a statement, Xhaka expressed his excitement about the move, stating he was "very proud to be here." He also mentioned being impressed by the club's energy and the mentality of both the people and the players.

Xhaka's Premier League experience includes 225 appearances for Arsenal, where he also secured two FA Cup titles. Sunderland's first league match of the season will be a home game against West Ham United, scheduled for August 16.