‘Sunderland will love Granit Xhaka history v Newcastle’ after transfer latest
Sunderland are in talks to sign former Arsenal captain Granit Xhaka from Bayer Leverkusen.
Xhaka spent seven years in the Premier League before departing for Germany, where he won a historic treble with Xabi Alonso’s Leverkusen side.
Sunderland could now bring Xhaka back to England in a shock move, with the 32-year-old said to be very keen and agreeing personal terms already.
The Switzerland captain would add grit and technical quality to the midfield as well as experience, and his record against Newcastle only brings further excitement to the Tyne-Wear derby.
Xhaka has stunning record against Newcastle
Xhaka’s time at Arsenal saw him face Sunderland’s bitter rivals Newcastle on 11 occasions across the Premier League and FA Cup, and his record is very encouraging for the Mackems.
The midfielder plays with a lot of aggression and tenacity, and clashes against bruisers such as Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton will help make the derbies box-office viewing next season.
Xhaka was involved in a lot of controversial moments at Arsenal, but was a popular figure by the time he left, and has shown his quality on countless occasions, particularly against Newcastle.
| Stat | Xhaka |
| Appearances | 11 |
| Wins | 8 |
| Draws | 1 |
| Losses | 2 |
| Goals | 1 |
| Yellow cards | 6 |
The midfield powerhouse won eight of his 11 clashes with Newcastle, losing just twice, and scored once, a rocket of a free-kick in 2018 at St James’ Park.
The Swiss star received six yellow cards in these fiery clashes, but was able to keep a cool head to avoid a second booking after all of them.
Xhaka’s leadership will help Sunderland in the derby
One of Xhaka’s two defeats against Newcastle came when Arsenal fell short in the race for a top-four spot in 2021-22, and he gave an iconic post-match interview after.
Arsenal delivered a below-par performance as they were beaten 2-0, and Xhaka’s fury after the match endeared him to supporters, as he showed more passion than anyone.
“It’s difficult to find the right words. From the first minute to the 90th, we didn’t deserve to be on the pitch,” Xhaka stated.
“If someone isn’t ready for this game, stay at home. It doesn’t matter your age. If you’re nervous, stay on the bench or stay at home. You need people to have the balls to come here and play.”
This brutal honesty was met with mixed reviews, as while fans were delighted with Xhaka for sticking his neck out and taking the heat, pundits were critical of him.
It is this kind of leadership which will prove vital in a young Sunderland dressing room aiming for survival, with Xhaka ready to speak in difficult moments as the most experienced player in the squad.
Xhaka had the last laugh a year later, as his last game at St James’ Park was a 2-0 victory in which he and Jorginho won the midfield battle, and Sunderland fans will hope he can produce similar performances next season.
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.