Sunderland’s summer stress is a sign of progress– from £20m sales to Chelsea’s high-profile interest in Granit Xhaka
There was, dare I say it, a slightly perverse enjoyment to the Granit Xhaka transfer saga.
Not because Sunderland supporters wanted to lose their captain. Not because it was comfortable. Not because the idea of Xhaka leaving for Chelsea, after everything he had said and represented, did not sting. It absolutely did. But amid the drama, the brief panic and the endless refreshing of timelines, there was also a reminder of how far Sunderland have come.
This is now the world Sunderland operate in. Chelsea are looking at their captain. Xabi Alonso is making his pitch. Major European names are being linked. Players who have thrived on Wearside are attracting serious money. Sunderland are no longer scratching around the margins, hoping to keep hold of half a squad and trying to convince key players that League One is still a good place to be. That was not very long ago.
There were summers when Sunderland supporters worried about Denver Hume’s contract situation. There was genuine concern when Charlie Wyke left after scoring goals in League One. Those were the debates because that was Sunderland’s reality at the time. The club’s problems in the third tier were well documented and, for long spells, everything felt fragile. Losing a player on a free or missing out on a modest target felt damaging because Sunderland were still trying to prove they could function properly again.
Now the conversation has changed completely. Sunderland have just sold Eliezer Mayenda, essentially their third-choice striker, in a deal worth around £20million. A player signed for a fraction of that fee has been developed, improved, turned into a promotion hero and then moved on for major profit. From a footballing and financial perspective, that is the sign of a club operating properly.
That does not mean every sale should be celebrated without question. Supporters are right to care about the team on the pitch first. But smart clubs trade. Ambitious clubs know when to sell, when to stand firm and when to reinvest. The key is not whether Sunderland sell players. The key is whether they sell at the right time, for the right money, and with a clear plan for what comes next.
That is why the Xhaka saga was important. Sunderland did not blink. They did not accept a lowball offer, panic or allow another club to set the terms. They drew a line and made it clear that their captain was not for sale. That, in its own way, was as much a statement of ambition as any signing could be. This is the chaos Sunderland fans always wanted, even if it does not always feel enjoyable in the moment.
Big clubs attract attention. Good players attract bids. Rising clubs have to fight to keep their best people. That is the price of progress. For years, Sunderland supporters wanted the club to be serious again. Now they are. They are making £20million sales, resisting pressure from Chelsea and being spoken about in an entirely different stratosphere. It is stressful, yes. But it is also proof that Sunderland are back in conversations that matter.
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