Recent reports indicate that newly-promoted Premier League club Sunderland has secured an agreement with Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Granit Xhaka. This development is a significant setback for Italian giants Inter and Milan, who were reportedly exploring a move for the former Arsenal player.
According to David Ornstein of The Athletic, Xhaka has expressed his strong desire to join Sunderland this summer, having reached a personal agreement with the Black Cats.
While a final agreement between Bayer Leverkusen and Sunderland is yet to be finalized, the Swiss international has reportedly urged his current club to expedite a transfer.
Implications for Serie A Clubs: Milan, Inter, and Juventus
Xhaka remains under contract with Leverkusen until 2028, but has been keen to leave the BayArena. His desire for a move stems from what he perceives as the end of an era at the club, following the departures of head coach Xabi Alonso and key players Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong.
Early summer reports in Italy linked Milan with Xhaka, but the Rossoneri have since turned their attention to Luka Modric and Samuele Ricci, making a pursuit of the Swiss midfielder unlikely.
La Gazzetta dello Sport recently reported that Inter considered Xhaka a primary target if Hakan Calhanoglu were to depart this transfer window. However, Sunderland`s agreement with Xhaka now makes this scenario improbable.
Juventus was also briefly mentioned as a Serie A club interested in signing the Switzerland international this summer.
