Sunderland have been linked with a swoop for Granit Xhaka in recent days
Saudi club Neom SC have turned their attention to a deal for Lyon midfielder Corentin Tolisso after suffering “various setbacks” in their efforts to sign mooted Sunderland target Granit Xhaka, according to reports.
The Black Cats were linked with an ambitious £8.7 million swoop for the Swiss international on Tuesday, with Belgian journalist Sacha Tavolieri suggesting that the Premier League new boys have opened talks with his current club Bayer Leverkusen over a prospective deal, that would include a three-year contract for the ex-Arsenal man.
At the time, Tavolieri claimed that Sunderland were facing competition from Neom for Xhaka’s signature, but in a subsequent update, it has been stated that the Middle Eastern outfit could now seek an alternative to the 32-year-old after their efforts suffered an unspecified hiccup.
What has been said about Neom SC’s hopes of signing Granit Xhaka amid reported Sunderland transfer interest?
Writing on X, Tavolieri claimed that Neom are now pushing ahead with a move for the aforementioned Tolisso, who is currently on the books at French side Lyon. The journalist said: “Neom SC is charging for Corentin Tolisso! After the various setbacks this Tuesday on the Granit Xhaka case, the Saudi club (strongly backed by Christophe Galtier) aims to finalize the Tolisso deal. Discussions are ongoing with Lyon”.
For his part, Xhaka racked up some 297 appearances for Arsenal during a seven-year stint in North London, scoring 23 goals and assisting 29 more. After leaving the Emirates in 2023, he signed for Bayer Leverkusen, and would go on to help the German giants to a sensational Bundesliga title win under the guidance of head coach Xabi Alonso.
Addressing Xhaka’s form on the continent following his £21.4 million transfer, European football expert Raphael Honigstein told TNT Sports: “We always knew that Xhaka had a big personality, that he was an important dressing room voice and a real leader.
“But now, his football has gone to another level in the last couple of years and I think that is because of the influence of [Alonso and Mikel Arteta] as experienced former central midfielders. It is clear that with Alonso playing or taking part in many sessions himself, and still being the best player on the pitch, you can pick up so many things if you're willing. With Xhaka, I think he's still very much willing and happy to learn and you could see an improvement.
“I think that there's a reason why he was captain at Arsenal. There's a reason why Leverkusen were desperate to get him in. Alonso effectively built a team around him to a certain extent. Xhaka has been one reason why they've managed to instil this togetherness and real team mentality that the past Leverkusen teams haven't always been able to produce, because of their nature as sort of a stepping stone for many players. He's one of the main reasons why Leverkusen have now gone from being a very good team to being a superb side.”
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