Sunderland v Everton, Premier League Sunderland midfielder Granit Xhaka 34 scores a GOAL 1-1 and celebrates during the Sunderland v Everton English Premier League match at the Stadium of Light, Sunderland, England on 3 November 2025 Credit: Phil Duncan/Every Second Media Editorial use only. All images are copyright Every Second Media Limited. No images may be reproduced without prior permission. All rights reserved. Premier League and Football League images are subject to licensing agreements with Football DataCo Limited. see https://www.football-dataco.com Copyright: xIMAGO/EveryxSecondxMediax ESM-1653-0040 PhilxDuncanx/xEveryxSecondxMediax

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Granit Xhaka Hailed As Premier League’s Signing of the Season After Sunderland’s Stunning Start

Sunderland’s remarkable return to the Premier League has been one of the season’s standout stories, and at the heart of it all stands their captain, Granit Xhaka. The 33-year-old Swiss midfielder arrived from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer for £13 million. The veteran midfielder has quickly established himself as the driving force behind the Black Cats’ success, both on and off the pitch.

Named captain immediately by manager Regis Le Bris, Xhaka has brought composure, leadership and top-tier experience to a young Sunderland squad. His consistency has been unmatched as he has played every minute of their 11 league games so far. The former Arsenal midfielder has contributed one goal and three assists for the Black Cats. Notably, Xhaka also leads the team in chances created, successful passes, duels won and distance covered.

Only Erling Haaland (7.94) has a higher rating than Granit Xhaka in the Premier League this season (7.39). 💪🔥 pic.twitter.com/DaxwEjmuHL
— WhoScored (@WhoScored) November 7, 2025

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Granit Xhaka ‘Probably Signing of the Season’ – Wayne Rooney

Former Manchester United and England striker Wayne Rooney has labelled Granit Xhaka as “probably the signing of the season,” highlighting Xhaka’s transformative impact. “Coming back to the Premier League with a promoted side, there were questions about how he’d adapt,” Rooney said on The Wayne Rooney Show. “But he’s been absolutely brilliant – a leader, a controller, and exactly what Sunderland needed.”

Currently sitting fourth in the Premier League table with 19 points after 11 games, Sunderland look well on course to secure their top-flight status and Xhaka’s leadership has been central to that push. For a club that has defied expectations this season, their captain’s resurgence is proving to be one of the stories of the campaign.

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Rooney concluded by saying,

“Sunderland have got a very young squad as well. He’d almost be like a father figure and he’ll be a big help for the coach as well to be the in-between man as captain. And they made a lot of signings in the summer, he’ll be a massive help for the manager and with them players, for sure, using his experience.”

Granit Xhaka 🤝 Mikel Arteta

The pair certainly enjoyed working together at @Arsenal ❤️ pic.twitter.com/Jj7bHs448k
— Premier League (@premierleague) November 7, 2025

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I am a soccer writer at The PlayOffs, covering everything from match analysis to transfer buzz and tactical deep dives. Ever since I was a kid, soccer has been more than just a sport to me—it’s been an obsession. Playing and watching the game from a young age fueled my passion, eventually leading me into the world of sports media and betting. Now, I get to analyze the sport I love and bring the latest updates to fans worldwide.