Sunderland captain Granit Xhaka has explained why he decided to make the move to the Stadium of Light, with the former Arsenal midfielder planning to become a manager one day
Granit Xhaka
Granit Xhaka joined Sunderland from Bayer Leverkusen this summer(Image: Ian Horrocks/Sunderland AFC via Getty Images)
Granit Xhaka has opened up about his decision to swap Bayer Leverkusen for Sunderland, claiming it will be "important" for him to experience "suffering" as the Black Cats battle for survival in the Premier League.
Xhaka spent seven seasons in England with Arsenal, before leaving to join Leverkusen in 2023 where he helped them triumph over Bayern Munich and win their first Bundesliga title. However, Xhaka decided to leave Leverkusen after just two seasons and return to England with Sunderland.
And the 32-year-old has now revealed that his plans to become a manager after he retires played a big part in his decision. "The club reminds me of my parents' beginnings: rising up from nothing," Xhaka told Swiss newspaper Blick, as per Get German Football News.
"And I feel that this experience here will benefit me most for my future. I want to pursue a career as a coach at some point. That's why it's important to experience moments of suffering and solidarity.
"We're going to have to suffer a lot in the coming months. That's a different side of football, but it's also part of it and it will shape me."
Xhaka also insisted that former Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag, who replaced Xabi Alonso as Leverkusen manager over the summer, was not the reason why he decided to leave. "It annoys me that Erik is being portrayed as the problem," Xhaka added.
"He was never the problem. Never! I had good conversations with him. I would have played under him as captain. I never unequivocally said that I wanted to leave.
"I was looking for an exiting offer, but only if it was a good fit for me, my family, and Leverkusen. If I wanted to leave at all costs, I wouldn't have flown to training camp in Brazil."
Granit Xhaka
Xhaka is hoping to move into management after he retires
Xhaka has immediately been named captain by Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris, who hailed the midfielder's leadership skills. "In the Premier League, it will be important to have consistency, maturity, and experience," Le Bris said.
"Granit brings all these qualities. His behaviour so far has been very impressive, and on the field, you can see that his level is high. Others around him can feel this influence, and his leadership will support the team as we adapt to a different environment and face new challenges and opportunities."
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.