Sunderland Star ‘Open To Joining’ As Club Show Interest | OneFootball

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Sunderland captain Granit Xhaka is claimed to be ‘open to joining’ Turkish giants Besiktas, who are showing interest in signing him.

The 33-year-old arrived at Sunderland from Bayer Leverkusen during last summer’s window to help guide the Black Cats through their return to the Premier League, with his heart already set on the Stadium of Light even before the transfer finalised.

His signing marked a major statement of intent from Sunderland as they looked to re-establish themselves in the top flight following promotion.

Shortly after arriving, Xhaka took on the captaincy role for Regis Le Bris’ side, highlighting the level of trust placed in the Swiss midfielder’s leadership and experience.

He featured in 32 Premier League matches this season and delivered six assists, the highest tally within the squad.

Xhaka revealed that arriving at Sunderland under the weight of enormous expectations marked the toughest chapter of his career, yet he feels completely at home at the club and is enjoying every moment of it.

Given his happiness at Sunderland, it would likely be a surprise if he moved elsewhere, but the Swiss is being linked with a switch.

Besiktas are looking at the possibility of taking Xhaka to Turkey and according to Turkish outlet Fotomac (via A Spor), he is ‘open to joining’ the Black Eagles.

Besiktas have made signing an influential midfielder this summer a key priority and Xhaka would appear to fit the bill.

An upcoming meeting between president Serdal Adali and boss Sergen Yalcin is tipped to be crucial to Besiktas deciding their next move.

How open Sunderland might be to letting Xhaka go is up for debate, with the midfielder having played a crucial role at the Stadium of Light.

He also hailed the Sunderland supporters, dubbing them ‘real fans’.

Besiktas are also keeping tabs on another defensive midfielder, Joao Palhinha, who is currently on a season-long loan at Tottenham Hotspur.

However, the Turkish side are watching to see what Spurs do on keeping Palhinha, which could put him out of reach.

Now is not the first time Turkish clubs have shown interest in Xhaka, with Fenerbache having pushed for his signature last year before his return to England.

For Le Bris’ side meanwhile, losing Xhaka would represent a substantial setback given his importance to the midfield structure and influence inside the dressing room.

The Black Cats currently sit 12th in the Premier League table but remain only three points away from eighth place with two rounds remaining, keeping hopes of a European finish alive.

If Sunderland manage to secure European football, the situation surrounding Xhaka’s future could shift once again, though for now the midfielder appears open to starting a new chapter in Turkey.