Xhaka, Ekitike, Zubimendi, Woltemade: Who is the Premier League Signing of the Season So Far?
A forehead dripping with sweat is usually a sign of intense application in sport. An eyelid cut open and seeping blood is further reflection of commitment to the matchday fray. Granit Xhaka, Sunderland’s captain, was furious to have to go off against Newcastle United on Sunday to have a cut eyelid patched up.
He was even more frustrated at having to wait the protocol 30 seconds before being allowed back on. Every second counts for the 33-year-old Xhaka, every second to help Sunderland reach the result they crave.
The onset of winter feels an appropriate time to assess which summer signings like Xhaka have settled most impressively in the Premier League. Four months and 16 games is a reasonable period of assessment of value for money.
The confident, pacey Hugo Ekitike has been the saving grace of Liverpool’s summer spending spree with 10 goals in 23 games since his £69 million ($92 million) switch from Eintracht Frankfurt. Martin Zubimendi, the Spanish international, has slotted seamlessly into Arsenal’s deep midfield since his £60m from Real Sociedad, allowing Declan Rice to push on and demonstrate his more attacking qualities.
Bryan Mbeumo has brought authority and goals to Manchester United for £65m from Brentford. Jordan Henderson has headed into Brentford on a free from Ajax and excelled with his dynamism and leadership.
Any concerns about Gianluigi Donnarumma’s footwork have been allayed at Manchester City since his £26m move from Paris Saint-Germain. His shot-stopping and command of his area have continued to impress as befits the recent winner of the Yashin Trophy for best goalkeeper in the Ballon d’Or.
Anyone who has watched Estěvão at Chelsea, Jack Grealish at Everton (on loan), Malick Thiaw at Newcastle United and Mohammed Kudus at Tottenham Hotspur will nod appreciatively at the wisdom of their signings.
Granit Xhaka vs. Nick Woltemade
Two of the hailed summer signings were involved in the game of the weekend, Sunderland’s 1–0 victory over Newcastle at the Stadium of Light. This was billed as Xhaka, Sunderland’s midfield beacon of light, against Nick Woltemade, Newcastle fans’ goalscoring messiah who shapes games to his own languid rhythm.
Unfortunately for Woltemade, Newcastle’s £69 million ($92 million) signing from Stuttgart defined this derby match with a spectacular own goal.
Xhaka ran the show, continuing his dominant form since arriving for £13 million ($17 million) from Bayer Leverkusen. His signing was an astounding coup by Sunderland. It showed their ambition under Kyril Louis-Dreyfus, the Swiss-French billionaire who is six years younger than Xhaka.
It showed his persuasiveness to entice the captain of the Swiss national team to the north-east of England. A three-year contract helped—few other clubs would have contemplated that length of deal for a player marching through his 30s.
Newly promoted to the Premier League, and with a collection of recruits unfamiliar to the English elite division, Sunderland turned to Xhaka to guide them through demanding terrain. They now have 26 points and are probably within three wins of safety, which was always their aim.
Get promoted, consolidate, go again. No other signing has had such an impact on his new club than Xhaka this season. Even Ekitike at underperforming Liverpool. Xhaka spills sweat and blood for Sunderland.
Redemption Story
Xhaka’s is also a story of redemption as well as of canny recruitment, a story that resonates to anyone who’s faced adversity, doubt and public criticism. The former Arsenal player has unfinished business with English football which is why he was so desperate to come back on after the running repairs on his left eyelid.
Back in 2019, Xhaka fell out with Arsenal fans, who cheered his substitution against Crystal Palace at the Emirates. Some were catcalling him, wanting him to get off the pitch quicker. Others simply felt him not good enough for the team.
He stormed off, appearing to swear at some of those booing him, typically stubborn in not thinking through the ramifications. Xhaka was further castigated for ripping his shirt off, perceived as a show of disrespect.
Xhaka was stripped of the captaincy by Arsenal’s then-manager, Unai Emery, and even spoke to his wife, Leonita, about leaving the club. He stayed but his first words to Emery’s successor, Mikel Arteta, were “I’m gone, I can’t wear the shirt anymore.”
Arteta gave him a second chance, and he was gradually reassimilated into the Arsenal fold. But there was never true forgiveness by Arsenal fans or from him to them. Xhaka felt that some of the barbed comments launched his way as he charged off against Palace crossed the line.
Arsenal fans also became weary over his frequent yellow and red cards. Assorted on-field transgressions, mainly ill-timed challenges, saw him banned for 18 games at Arsenal. Over his career, Xhaka has missed 34 games through suspension. He’d call it commitment, and risky challenges, rather than malice. But there was little mourning when a player sent off five times left Arsenal for Bayer Leverkusen for £21 million ($28 million) in 2023.
Xhaka matured under Xabi Alonso, who gave him responsibility in training to guide some of Leverkusen’s younger players. He embarked on his UEFA A licence badge, also coaching his brother-in-law’s fifth tier German side. Management eventually awaits him. Kicker magazine described him as “the strategist” in Leverkusen’s midfield. Xhaka is one of those midfielders like Arteta and Alonso who never had pace so relied more on swiftness of thought to influence games.
He shows this at Sunderland with his four assists and one goal, and more disciplined average of one foul a game. Xhaka still has four yellows, partly through his old habits of tactical fouls, but he is still a great role model for the younger players. He doesn’t understand the concept of fatigue. Xhaka has played 1,423 out of a possible 1,440 minutes in the Premier League this season. He looks after himself well through nutrition, sleep and stretching.
Natural Leader
But numbers can never fully reflect Xhaka. How do you quantify a quality like leadership? Sunderland’s captain exudes that authority in an era when many coaches privately lament the dearth of natural leaders. Some bemoan societal changes, others the turnover of players in the dressing room. Yet Xhaka has had an instant impact on Sunderland’s dressing-room.
He inspires teammates, many of whom are new to the Premier League. Of the 11 new signings at a cost of £149 million ($200 million), only Xhaka, Simon Adingra (from Brighton & Hove Albion) and Bertrand Traoré (from Ajax but had spells at Chelsea and Aston Villa) had experience of the English top flight.
Few of those who fought their way into the division with Sunderland, via the Championship playoffs, had much knowledge of the rhythms and rigours of the Premier League. Dan Ballard started out at Arsenal but never played for them.
Xhaka’s experience has been vital. Sunderland players look at him in the dressing room, and see a top player still hungry as he passed 600 club games on Sunday and heads towards 150 international appearances by the time Switzerland kicks off the World Cup. Xhaka’s the glue that holds this Sunderland team together, the brains that makes them aware of rising danger. He is the conductor of Régis Le Bris’s compositions on the pitch.
Every team in every sport needs someone to set the tone. Xhaka does for Sunderland. He immediately imposed himself on Newcastle with a challenge on Lewis Miley. He imposed himself with his feet, mainly that clever left foot, switching play wide to trigger counter-attacks. Xhaka even imposed himself with his hands, pointing where he wanted teammates to go, ushering Traoré wider to cover a brief threat to Sunderland’s right from the speedy Harvey Barnes.
He inspired with his calm amidst the derby storm, at one point dropping a shoulder and turning away from three Newcastle challengers to caress the ball back to his keeper, Robin Roefs, another smart signing.
Xhaka ensured Sunderland saw out the game, gaining three points and a cut eyelid, to go seventh. They are out of the Champions League positions only on goal difference (assuming the English get five spots for next season). For sheer impact, Xhaka has to be the signing of the Premier League season.
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