That is Xhaka’s second spell in England, having performed 297 occasions for Arsenal from 2016 till 2023.
He then joined Bayer Leverkusen the place he gained the title underneath Xabi Alonso of their unbeaten home season in 2023-24.
Erik ten Hag, then the Leverkusen boss, insisted Xhaka wouldn’t be bought this summer time.
However the midfielder left for Sunderland, and Ten Hag was sacked just a few weeks into the season.
“I did not anticipate to come back again after Germany however you by no means know the place you land,” mentioned Xhaka.
“To be again made me joyful. I knew the mission to convey expertise and present the fellows daily.
“It makes me joyful to attain a aim.”
Xhaka was a little bit of a pantomine villain – and typically a lot maligned – at Arsenal.
He was despatched off 5 occasions for the Gunners and spent six weeks as captain in 2019, clashed along with his personal followers and was stripped of the armband.
However issues went higher underneath Mikel Arteta and he grew to become an vital participant earlier than leaving in 2023 for Germany.
Carragher mentioned: “After what he went by way of at Arsenal, he confirmed nice character to come back again from that. The impression he has had, if he may be a part of a Sunderland group who finishes within the prime 10 – and even simply stays up – he will probably be remembered for a really very long time.”
Former Sunderland striker Marco Gabbiadini instructed BBC Radio Newcastle: “He exemplifies a prime skilled.
“When he was an Arsenal participant at occasions you felt like he was a little bit of a villain. Over time we now have seen him mature and develop.
“We have seen a barely extra restrained model of Xhaka, nevertheless it’s truly higher than the totally dedicated, blowing steam out of his ears kind of participant that we noticed at Arsenal.
“He is a bit bit extra measured, calmer and a greater skilled. To have that in your squad particularly if you’ve obtained a younger squad, and everybody believes in him, he is a talisman.
“We have to wrap him in cotton wool and maintain him going for 38 video games.”
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