Sunderland set to clinch Granit Xhaka signing as fee agreed and medical booked: report

Granit Xhaka of Bayer 04 Leverkusen celebrates his team's win after the Bundesliga match between Bayer 04 Leverkusen and VfL Wolfsburg at BayArena on September 22, 2024 in Leverkusen, Germany.

Granit Xhaka helped Bayer Leverkusen win the Bundesliga in 2023/24 (Image credit: Rene Nijhuis/MB Media/Getty Images)

Sunderland are said to be on the verge of an impressive transfer coup in the shape of Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Granit Xhaka.

The Swiss international has been reported to be keen on a move to the newly-promoted Black Cats for a couple of weeks now, but Sunderland's efforts to bring him back to the Premier League hit a slight impasse.

Xhaka was a crucial part of Leverkusen's Invincible 2023/24 Bundesliga title triumph, starting all but two of their 34 games as well as featuring prominently in their DFB Pokal victory and their run to the Europa League final that season.

Former Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka set for Premier League return

Granit Xhaka in his Arsenal days — Granit Xhaka made 225 Premier League appearances for Arsenal (Image credit: PA Images)

Fabrizio Romano writes that a €20m (£17.4m) fee has been agreed for Xhaka's services, with a three-year contract already fundamentally agreed with the player.

Leverkusen are said to have given Xhaka permission to fly over and complete his move on Monday.

Granit Xhaka pointing directions during Switzerland's Euro 2024 match against Germany. — Granit Xhaka captained Switzerland at Euro 2024 (Image credit: Alex Grimm/Getty Images)

The 32 year-old arrives with a wealth of Premier League experience having previously been a regular for Arsenal from 2016 to 2023.

Xhaka was part of the side that won the FA Cup under Arsene Wenger in 2017 and repeated the feat under Mikel Arteta in 2020, starting in both games. He also started the 2019 Europa League final under Unai Emery.

Xhaka would become Sunderland's ninth signing of the summer transfer window as they look to establish themselves back in the Premier League.

Enzo Le Fee, Habib Diarra, Matthew Burns, Noah Sadiki, Reinildo Mandava, Chamsdine Talbi, Simon Adingra and Isaac Allan have already made the move to bolster Regis Le Bris' squad ahead of the new season, which kicks off at home to West Ham United on Saturday, August 16.

Granit Xhaka of Switzerland looks on during the International Friendly match between Switzerland and Estonia at Swissporarena on June 4, 2024 in Lucerne, Switzerland. — Granit Xhaka now looks set for Sunderland (Image credit: Harry Langer/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)

Sunderland earned promotion to the Premier League via the play-offs last season, just three years on from climbing out of League One via the same route.

This season will be Sunderland's first top-flight campaign since 2016/17, when they finished bottom of the league with just 24 points after a ten-year stint.

Their slide did not end there as they did the dreaded double-drop into the third tier by finishing bottom of the Championship the following year.

Sunderland took four years to get out of League One, coming up short in the play-offs twice before finally winning at Wembley in 2022.

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Steven Chicken has been working as a football writer since 2009, taking in stints with Football365 and the Huddersfield Examiner. Steven still covers Huddersfield Town home and away for his own publication, WeAreTerriers.com. Steven is a two-time nominee for Regional Journalist of the Year at the prestigious British Sports Journalism Awards, making the shortlist in 2020 and 2023.

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