‘Feel At Home’ - Granit Xhaka Shares Hearfelt Sunderland Admission

Granit Xhaka has lifted the lid on his first year at Sunderland and how he feels about living in the north east. 

Sunderland’s signing of Granit Xhaka proved to be an inspired piece of business, both for his impact on and off the field. 

From a footballing perspective, Sunderland’s Player of the Year Xhaka has been the catalyst for the Black Cats’ success this season, with the captain dictating play in every game he features. 

Additionally, the veteran midfielder has lifted the standards of the Stadium of Light outfit with his infectious thirst for victory. 

Switzerland captain Xhaka, one of 11 Sunderland players set to feature at the upcoming World Cup, will be hoping to have a similar impact for his national side this summer as he did in his debut campaign on Wearside. 

Ahead of the global footballing competition, Xhaka has reflected on his first year at the Stadium of Light, with a heartfelt admission about how settled he, and his family, feel at Sunderland.

Now 33 and entering the latter stages of his career, Xhaka started his career in native Switzerland with Swiss top flight giants FC Basel, where he rose through the youth ranks before winning back-to-back league titles in his two seasons prior to joining Borussia Monchengladbach.

Xhaka, a player from humble and working class roots, much like those in the city of Sunderland, then spent four seasons in Germany before a seven-season spell at Arsenal.

After an impressive two-season switch to Bayer Leverkusen, Xhaka arrived at Sunderland last summer and has quickly made a similarly successful impact, spearheading Regis Le Bris’ newly-promoted side to a remarkable seventh-placed finish and Europa League qualification.

Surprisingly, throughout last season, Xhaka was loosely linked with a quick departure from the Stadium of Light, with several European media outlets falsely touting him for a move to the likes of Juventus and Besiktas.

Thankfully for the Sunderland supporters, Xhaka has confirmed himself that he will certainly not be on the move this summer, and they will be delighted that such a high calibre of player will continue on Wearside. 

With an exciting season ahead to look forward to at the Stadium of Light, and with his young family settled in the north east, Xhaka has clearly found a long-term footballing home for the swansong of his illustrious career. 

Ahead of the World Cup, Xhaka told Blick.ch: “[Sunderland] feels a bit like home to me. The city feels like Basel. Like the St. Johann neighbourhood, where I grew up.

“You can only perform at your best when you feel at home somewhere.

“I’m really glad to finally have a summer where there’s no speculation about my future. That’s rarely been the case in recent years.”

It was quite a touching moment after the final-day victory over Chelsea to see Xhaka and his family on the Stadium of Light turf, and the Swiss stalwart was clearly emotional himself when the Black Cats faithful sang his name in unison prior to his rousing post-match speech. 

Those who have made a footballing home for themselves on Wearside over the years, including Xhaka, often say that Sunderland, the club’s supporters and the surrounding city ‘gets under your skin’, and that has clearly been the case for one of the finest midfielders of his generation.