Granit Xhaka sidelined for three weeks with ankle injury | OneFootball

Sunderland will be without captain Granit Xhaka (33) for the next three weeks after the midfielder suffered an ankle injury, Sky Sports has reported.

Xhaka was absent from the Black Cats’ defeat to West Ham last weekend and will also miss Monday night’s Premier League meeting with Burnley as he continues his recovery. The former Arsenal midfielder will undergo a further assessment in the coming days, with Sunderland hopeful he can return before the end of February.

Since arriving on Wearside in the summer, Xhaka has been a central figure in Sunderland’s first Premier League campaign since promotion. Appointed captain soon after joining, he has provided experience, authority, and composure in a young squad still adjusting to the demands of the top flight.

Le Bris acknowledged that Xhaka’s influence cannot be directly replaced and believes his absence will test the group’s resilience. The head coach sees the spell without his captain as an opportunity for others to step forward and take on greater responsibility.

Sunderland remain in the early stages of their Premier League journey, and Le Bris stressed the importance of perspective, accepting that setbacks are part of the learning process for a newly-promoted side. While results may be harder to come by without their leader, the club hope the period will accelerate the development of a broader leadership core within the squad.

GFN | Finn Entwistle