Wayne Rooney has described Sunderland captain Granit Xhaka as “probably the signing of the season” following Sunderland’s impressive Premier League return. Sunderland, newly promoted, currently sit fourth after 11 games with 19 points, setting themselves on course to avoid relegation.
Xhaka, formerly of Arsenal and Bayer Leverkusen, joined for £13m and immediately made an impact, leading a young squad with experience and composure. Rooney praised Xhaka’s leadership, character, and ability to recover from prior disputes with fans at Arsenal, as well as being pivotal in Leverkusen’s title win over Bayern Munich.
Rooney said on The Wayne Rooney Show:
“Coming back to the Premier League, you wonder if he can do it. Obviously, with a promoted team as well coming up, what impact could he have?
But he’s probably been the signing of the season. He has been brilliant… Sunderland have got a very young squad… he’ll be a massive help both for the manager and the players.”
The Swiss international has helped turn Sunderland into surprise contenders and is credited as a “father figure” for the squad, justifying his signing fee and praise from pundits.
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