Rival club drop out of Granit Xhaka transfer race amid Sunderland interest and price tag update - reports
Sunderland may have been handed a boost in their efforts to land Granit Xhaka
Saudi club Neom SC have dropped out of the race to sign Sunderland target Granit Xhaka, according to reports.
The Black Cats have been heavily linked with an ambitious swoop for the Bayer Leverkusen star in recent days, with suggestions that transfer chiefs on Wearside are hoping to wrap up a deal worth around £8.7 million this summer.
To that end, it has been widely reported that Sunderland were facing competition from Neom for Xhaka’s services, but a fresh update from continental journalist Sacha Tavolieri has stated that the Middle Eastern side are now out of the running.
What has been said about Neom’s interest in Granit Xhaka amid Sunderland transfer links?
Writing on X, Tavolieri said: “Neom SC now out of the race for Granit Xhaka as they won’t pay more than €8m [£6.9m] to Bayer Leverkusen. Deal was stalling Tuesday & at standstill today. Sunderland’s a clear option for Xhaka, as [are] Fenerbahçe, who spoke directly with the Swiss. However, there’s a feeling that Xhaka [could] drive up the price to get the best possible offer. It’s not out of the question that Xhaka could stay at Bayer, either.”
Elsewhere, despite initial reports that Xhaka could be available for around £8.7 million this summer, German outlet Kicker has since suggested that Leverkusen could demand as much as £17.3 million for the player.
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What has been said about Granit Xhaka’s future amid reported Sunderland transfer interest?
As Sunderland continue to be linked with a prospective swoop for Xhaka, Bayer Leverkusen chief Simon Rolfes recently gave an interview with German outlet Bild in which he admitted that he expects the Swiss international’s future to be resolved sooner rather than later. He said: “There is interest, but nothing has become concrete so far.”
He added: “Of course, we’re now in the phase where we’re finalising the squad - that’s obvious. Granit plays an important role in that, which is why it certainly won’t be an issue that drags on throughout the entire transfer window.
"There will still be some changes in the squad overall. But at some point, the squad has to be 95 percent complete - and Granit is an important part of that. So there will definitely be a decision sooner rather than later.”
As for Xhaka himself, speaking ahead of Switzerland’s friendly with Mexico last month, the former Arsenal midfielder assessed a number of changes at Leverkusen following the recent departures of manager Xabi Alonso, centre back Jonathan Tah, wing-back Jeremie Frimpong, and attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz.
He said: “I already experienced a major upheaval at Arsenal in 2019. That takes a lot of energy and I’m no longer 25. I’ll be 33 in September, and of course, the players who are leaving or have left are a huge loss, definitely because they were extremely important for the team. With Simon Rolfes and Fernando Carro, we have enough players who can hopefully get the team back to that level. Whether it’s with or without me is another question. But as of today, I’m here. We’re happy and that’s what matters.
“I haven’t played everywhere yet. Of course, you think about it but as I said, my mind is far away. I have my family and my management to take care of such things. And when the time comes and you have an offer on the table, then you start thinking about it. And when the time comes for a transfer to take place, I’ll definitely let you know.”