Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has praised Sunderland captain Granit Xhaka, describing the Swiss midfielder as the Premier League signing of the season.
Xhaka produced a commanding performance in Sunderland’s 1–1 draw with Everton on Monday night, scoring just after the restart to cancel out Iliman Ndiaye’s superb first-half strike at the Stadium of Light.
The former Arsenal and Switzerland international was named Man of the Match for his display, which capped another influential outing since joining the Black Cats.
Speaking ahead of the game, Carragher lauded Xhaka’s impact, saying the ex-Bayer Leverkusen star has transformed Sunderland’s midfield and become one of the standout additions in the league this season.
“He must be the signing of the season,” Carragher said on Sky Sports.
“When you think of someone who’s influential on their team, I’ve been calling Manchester City the Erling Haaland team, but is there anyone right now in the Premier League having a bigger influence on their club than Granit Xhaka? There can’t be.
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“An absolutely brilliant signing so far.”
After the final whistle, the Liverpool legend added, “For me I thought Granit Xhaka was absolutely fantastic again.
“Not just the goal but head and shoulders above almost everybody on that pitch tonight.”
Xhaka, 33, featured in 297 matches for Arsenal between 2016 and 2023 before moving to Germany to join Bayer Leverkusen, where he played a key role in helping the team secure the Bundesliga title under coach Xabi Alonso.
