Wayne Bridge says Granit Xhaka exit would be a massive miss for Sunderland | OneFootball

Wayne Bridge has warned that Sunderland would struggle to replace Granit Xhaka if the midfielder were to leave after his standout first season on Wearside.

The Switzerland international arrived last summer, took the captain’s armband and has driven their Premier League survival push with commanding performances.

"People were laughing at me, to be honest. Even the closest part of my friends said to me, 'Why are you going back?' I said, 'Because I love the challenge'. I just had the feeling with the owner [Kyril Louis-Dreyfus] when I spoke with them, with the club, with the coach, this is the right club for me," he told BBC Sport.

Asked if any club could move for Xhaka this summer, Bridge said: "I’m not sure. Xhaka has made such a great impact up there and probably still has a couple of years left there," speaking to 10bet.

"He’s obviously one of their main players and he’s made a massive impact. If he leaves, it would be a massive miss for them. Sunderland have been brilliant this season. They would have been a lot of people’s favourites to go straight back down, but they’ve been excellent and Xhaka has been instrumental in that."

Source: Sunderland Echo