Granit Xhaka has already said Nordi Mukiele will bring ‘very important’ attribute to Sunderland

Granit Xhaka has already been full of praise for Nordi Mukiele ahead of his transfer to Sunderland.

Sunderland have taken the word ambition to a whole new level this summer with the way they have recruited ahead of their return to the Premier League.

11 new signings have already checked in at the Stadium of Light, with seven Sunderland stars expected to make their debut when the Black Cats host West Ham.

Now, signing number 12 appears imminent after Sunderland reached an agreement to sign Mukiele, and Xhaka has already endorsed the Mackems’ new boy.

Regis Le Bris looking happy as Sunderland boss
Credit: Imago

What Granit Xhaka once said about Nordi Mukiele

While the Frenchman has struggled with injuries over the years, his ability has been on full show for various clubs.

Mukiele first made a name for himself at RB Leipzig, where he went on to make 146 appearances, before making the move to Ligue 1 giants PSG.

After two years in the French capital, gametime was hard to come by, with the 27-year-old then spending time on loan at Leverkusen, alongside new Sunderland captain Xhaka.

Mukiele’s last three clubs.

The Swiss international was full of praise for the French international after he scored the winner in the Champions League against Inter, revealing what he will bring to Wearside.

Xhaka, in quotes reported by Bulinews, said: “Every start in life is not easy. Coming into a new team after this season, in which everything was perfect for us, is probably even more difficult

“But Nordi is a player who can play in different positions and has a mentality that is very important. He is very stable defensively and physically. The fact he’s now scoring goals is all the better.”

Where will Mukiele play for Sunderland?

Providing the transfer goes through as expected, Sunderland will be getting a very talented, yet versatile defender to add to their squad.

Mukiele typically operates as a right-back, but has also made 88 career appearances as a centre-back, which is perfect for what the Black Cats need.

Sunderland have already bolstered their defensive options with the signing of Omar Alderete, and the addition of Mukiele could take it to a whole new level.

Sign up for the Mackem News WhatsApp channel and turn on notifications to have all the latest, breaking Sunderland AFC news sent straight to your phone.