Granit Xhaka looks to be on his way out of Bayer Leverkusen after receiving strong interest from one of the newly promoted Premier League sides.
Sunderland, who secured status in English football's top flight after beating Sheffield United in the Championship playoff final in May, have marked Xhaka as a key target.
Xhaka still has three years left on his contract with Bayer Leverkusen, but he is keen to make the move to the North East of England and play a part in Sunderland's 2025/26 campaign. Personal terms are already agreed between the 32-year-old and Sunderland but an official agreement has not been found yet.
Signing a midfielder of Xhaka's pedigree would be a major coup for Sunderland and display the strong appeal of the Premier League compared to other European leagues.
The Swiss midfielder's agent, Jose Noguera, confirmed his client's desire to join the newly promoted Premier League club when speaking with Sky in Germany.
He said: "We've reached an agreement in principle with Sunderland. Granit wants to return to the Premier League. Sunderland excites him - he wants to take on this challenge."
Noguera is hopeful of a deal being concluded as quick as possible. The agent commented: "We hope Leverkusen will respect his wish to leave and that the clubs will find an agreement soon."
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A move to Sunderland would mark a return to English football for Xhaka, as he spent seven years with Arsenal before departing for Bayer Leverkusen two years ago.
His move to Germany turned out to be a successful one, as he was a key starter in Bayer Leverkusen's unbeaten Bundesliga triumph in his first season. That campaign also saw him and his teammates lift the DFB-Pokal.
Xhaka, who has remarkably represented the Switzerland national team 137 times, will bring plenty of experience and quality to Sunderland. He will likely be an instrumental figure in Regis Le Bris' dressing room.
The Swiss midfielder's impending transfer will see him soon share the pitch with new Sunderland signings that include Simon Adingra, Habib Diarra and Chemsdine Talbi.
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