Murat Yakin not worried over Sunderland captain Granit Xhaka after ankle setback | OneFootball

Granit Xhaka is set to link up with Switzerland this week, and head coach Murat Yakin says he is not worried about the Sunderland captain’s fitness.

“I’m in close contact with Granit. I’m not worried; he knows his body. We’ll discuss how long he’ll play,” he said, according to Blick.

The 33-year-old recently missed five matches with an ankle problem, but has since returned to start Sunderland’s last two games, including Sunday’s 2-1 win at Newcastle United.

Switzerland face Germany on Friday evening, then travel to Norway on Tuesday. If Xhaka features in both, his senior caps would rise to 145. He made his debut in 2011 and has captained the national side for the past eight years, scoring 16 goals.

Sunderland head coach Regis Le Bris has underlined the midfielder’s impact this season. “From a quality perspective, he is very good. A top class player, it is obvious.”

“They have to fit the identity of the region and the club, and it is really the case,” he added. “He is committed, connects players in and out of possession, and wants to win every day. The standards he sets are really useful because we have many young players. He leads by example.”

Source: Sunderland Echo