Sunderland ended the Premier League season by qualifying for the Europa League for the first time in their history, as a newly-promoted club.
Remarkably, the Black Cats became the first team since Wolverhampton Wanderers in the 2018/19 campaign to qualify for Europe in their first season back in the top-flight.
The signing of heavily experienced central midfielder Granit Xhaka, who joined from Bayer Leverkusen for £13m last summer, played a key role in their incredible achievement.
Sunderland captain Granit Xhaka
Prior to making the move to the Stadium of Light last year, the Switzerland international had played 297 matches for Arsenal, 140 games for Borussia Monchengladbach, and 99 times for Leverkusen, winning two FA Cups, the DFB Pokal, and the Bundesliga.
Xhaka used his vast experience in the game to be a driving force in midfield for Sunderland, starting 32 games and producing one goal and six assists.
Sunderland closing in on experienced Ligue 1 midfield star
Now that the Black Cats will be playing European and Premier League football next term, Regis Le Bris needs to add more depth to his squad so that Xhaka is not solely relied upon in the middle of the park.
The club are already reportedly looking at a star who could arrive at the Stadium of Light this summer as the next version of the former Arsenal captain.
Xhaka-Sunderland
According to French outlet Media Foot, Sunderland are eyeing up a move to sign Marseille central midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia in the upcoming summer transfer window.
The report claims that Le Bris is closing in on a deal to bring the 33-year-old veteran to Wearside to bolster his options in midfield for the 2026/27 campaign.
Olympique de Marseille's Nayef Aguerd, Geoffrey Kondogbia and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg
It adds that the Central African Republic international is close to an agreement with the Black Cats to move to England, but it remains to be seen how much the club will have to pay for his services.
Media Foot adds that Marseille are prepared to sell the experienced star, whose current contract expires in 2027, and this looks like a move that could get done in the coming weeks.
How Geoffrey Kondogbia can be Sunderland's new Granit Xhaka
Sunderland have clearly seen the benefit of having a vastly experienced top-flight midfielder in their ranks week-in-week-out in the Premier League this season, as Xhaka led them to seventh in the Premier League.
Xhaka-O'Nien-Sunderland
It would be a big ask for the 33-year-old Swiss star to start every domestic and European match next season, given his age, which is why the signing of Kondogbia could be a crucial one.
The French-born star only played ten games in Ligue 1 for Marseille in the 2025/26 campaign, but his form in the 2023/24 and 2024/25 campaigns suggest that he still has plenty to offer.
Kondogbia (Ligue 1) 23/24 24/25
Appearances 26 25
Pass accuracy 88% 93%
Tackles per game 1.8 2.4
Interceptions per game 1.2 0.9
Ground duel success rate 59% 69%
Aerial duel success rate 71% 63%
Kondogbia, as shown by his form in France, is a physically imposing defensive midfielder who can dominate opposition midfielders, whilst also being incredibly reliable with the ball at his feet.
The Sunderland target also averaged 2.4 tackles and interceptions per game, winning 58% of his duels, across ten appearances in Ligue 1 this season for Marseille, showing that he can still be effective with limited game time.
Geoffrey Kondogbia
Kondogbia has plenty of experience at the top level, with 50 appearances in the Serie A, 113 games in Ligue 1, 188 outings in LaLiga, and 15 matches in the Europa League, to be a Xhaka-like presence in the middle of the park.
He has the experience and physicality to be Sunderland's Europa League version of Xhaka, who won 60% of his duels in the Premier League this term, as a rotation option in midfield.
Granit-Xhaka
The Black Cats will play at least eight matches in Europe next season, with more if they make it through the league phase, and that could suit Kondogbia perfectly, after Marseille reduced his game time.
Le Bris could use him in the European and domestic cup matches, allowing Xhaka to be rested and ready for the Premier League games, so that the team always has one reliable, experienced, midfielder in the side.
It is now down to the club to get this deal over the line so that the Black Cats have two veteran midfielders who can rotate in the 2026/27 campaign and beyond, ensuring that neither of them burn out through having to play too many matches in what will be a tiring season.
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