They laughed at his transfer! Ex-Bundesliga star proves the doubters wrong | OneFootball

When Granit Xhaka made the surprising move from Bayer Leverkusen to AFC Sunderland last summer, many Bundesliga fans shook their heads in disbelief.

The Swiss national player, at 33 years old likely in the final stages of his footballing prime, swapped the second-best team in Germany at the time for the newly promoted team from the English Championship.

Why Sunderland?!

To outsiders, this seemed more like a step backward. "Why is he subjecting himself to the relegation battle in England?" fans and media wondered in unison. These thoughts were particularly reinforced by the video that went viral in no time, in which Xhaka attempted to introduce himself to the Sunderland fans.

The Swiss completed all sentences as vaguely and generally as possible. This led to much ridicule and many users joked that Xhaka actually had no idea which club and city he had moved to.

But Xhaka has spectacularly proven all skeptics wrong. Once again. Already, the midfield engine is the undisputed heart of the "Black Cats" team. 

The veteran stands out in almost all statistics: he has the most ball contacts at Sunderland, leads the most duels, plays the most successful passes, and creates the most goal chances. With three assists, he can call himself the team's best playmaker.

Moreover, Xhaka is a workhorse and ever-present in one. So far, he hasn't missed a single Premier League minute. The 'BBC' recently called him the club's "good luck charm," and 'Sky Sports' even dubbed him the "best transfer of the season."

Black Cats on the verge of second place?

And the team is performing well too: Sunderland is currently surprising the league and competing among the big names. In just nine games, the newly promoted team has collected a whopping 17 points, one more than Leicester City at the same point in their legendary 2015/16 championship season. If the Black Cats win their rescheduled match against Everton on Monday evening, an incredible second place in the standings awaits.

Coach Régis Le Bris never tires of emphasizing that Xhaka plays a central role in this: "He is the captain and sets standards every day. On the pitch, he is like a second coach."

But for Xhaka, it's not just about points and league positions. In interviews over the past weeks, he has repeatedly emphasized that he deliberately sought the challenge: moments of "solidarity and suffering" allowed him to experience "a different side of football."

Xhaka runs more than anyone else!

To experience this other side, he truly spares no effort. Xhaka was the first player this PL season to break the 100km running mark. Physically and mentally, the supposed oldie is still operating at the highest level. His presence on the field, combined with leadership and experience, makes him the pivotal point in Sunderland.

What began as one of the most ridiculed transfers of last summer has quickly developed into a real success story. And Granit Xhaka has proven all his critics wrong. Once again.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.

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