Granit Xhaka looks set to stay at Sunderland this summer.

Former Sunderland winger Aiden McGeady has claimed that Granit Xhaka’s summer transfer saga has the potential to leave a bad taste in the mouth of supporters, but has argued that keeping hold of the midfielder represents a “massive” boost for the Black Cats.

The Swiss veteran was heavily linked with a move to Chelsea earlier in the transfer window, with suggestions from several renowned journalists that the player himself was keen on sealing a move to Stamford Bridge. If he had left, Xhaka would have been reunited with newly appointed Blues boss Xabi Alonso, who he previously worked alongside during a highly successful stint at Bayer Leverkusen. Ultimately, however, the 33-year-old has taken the decision to remain on Wearside. In a recent interview with DAZN, he said: "Sunderland has been my home since day one. We are all very happy. I've decided to stay where I am; the most important thing is family. I'm ready to make history with them."

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What has Aiden McGeady said about Sunderland captain Granit Xhaka?

But despite his renewed commitment to the Black Cats, McGeady has suggested that Xhaka’s initial dalliance with an exit could lead to a touch of lingering bitterness amongst some fans. Speaking exclusively to The Echo, courtesy of BetBrain, when asked about the significance of retaining the captain’s services this summer, the former Sunderland star said: “It's massively important to keep a hold of him, but I've seen a lot of things - when the bid came in a lot of fans weren't happy. “And the one thing I would say is that I'm not trying to have a go at Granit Xhaka here, but the speech he gave at the end of last season - about staying together and ‘Let's go again next season’, and then a bid coming in from Chelsea - there was obviously talks behind the scenes where he gave the okay for it to happen.

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“Look, I think it's football. I think any footballer, if they get the opportunity to go again somewhere like Chelsea, maybe it's a bigger club, a bigger opportunity, I understand that, but sometimes I just don't think it sits too well when you lay it all out in front of the fans that way and talk about what will be next season, Europe and things, and then that happens. I don't think that leaves a good taste in the mouth.

“But, look, I think if he's going to be happy to stay there and carry on playing the way that he did, it's a massive, massive good thing for the club to keep him, because a player of his experience, his leadership that we saw on the park last season, his performances, it was probably one of the best seasons that I've seen from an individual player, especially coming in that first season at Sunderland, I think he was fantastic. So I would be very happy if the club kept him, and I think a lot of fans would be, as long as there was still that motivation to perform at Sunderland.”

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