Sunderland agree deal to sign Xhaka

Sunderland have agreed a fee with Bayer Leverkusen for Granit Xhaka.

Sky Sports News understands the fee is in the region of £17m, costing Sunderland an initial £13m with up to £4m in add-ons.

Sunderland agreed personal terms with the former Arsenal man last week and the 32-year-old will sign a three-year deal and give vital experience to the Mackems’ midfield.

Sunderland upped their total offer by £7m to get the deal done and Xhaka has been given permission to travel to the UK to undergo a medical.

More to follow…

Analysis: ‘Metronome’ Xhaka could transform Sunderland’s survival hopes

Sky Sports’ Sam Blitz:

For the promoted clubs, bringing in Premier League quality will be crucial to their survival. Sunderland signing Brighton winger Simon Adingra is a start, but Granit Xhaka would be a stratospheric signing.

The Switzerland international had a mixed career at Arsenal but one key theme stood out – managers kept picking him.

Arsene Wenger and Mikel Arteta kept him as a key member of the team despite his countless red cards, with the current Arsenal manager even bringing him back from the cold after a major falling out with the club’s supporters, which led to his captaincy being taken away by Unai Emery.

It’s because – despite the controversy Xhaka can bring – he is the metronome in every team he plays for.

His stability was vital to Bayer Leverkusen winning the league and cup double in his first season, while even last term – a more disappointing campaign in comparison – saw Xhaka show his worth.

Only Joshua Kimmich managed more passes in open play and final-third balls than Xhaka last term, while his pass accuracy of 90 per cent showed his reliability in possession.

Of course, Xhaka playing for a relegation-threatened Sunderland side will contrast very differently to the possession-heavy spells at Arsenal and Leverkusen.

But he was Arsenal captain and part of Leverkusen’s leadership group. If a deal gets completed, this is a signing that will give the Black Cats a huge survival boost.