(Credit: Imago/Manh Tung, Breaking Media)

Jonathan Burnett

Tue 19 August 2025 7:00, UK

Sunderland’s return to the Premier League couldn’t have gone much better for Regis Le Bris and his new captain Granit Xhaka.

Granit Xhaka and Marc Guiu react as Sunderland agree new signing	Granit Xhaka wows in Sunderland vs West Ham as brilliant full stats revealed	Everton and Arsenal stars react to Calvert-Lewin's message after deal agreed

Xhaka is the highest-profile of several ambitious additions made by the Black Cats this summer, after their promotion back to the top-flight by the narrowest of margins in May’s Championship play-off final.

Sunderland have spent almost £160million on new signings with PSG right-back Nordi Mukiele the latest big name through the doors at the Stadium of Light, and further arrivals still possible before 1 September.

Bayer Leverkusen accepted a £17.3m bid to take Xhaka from the BayArena to Wearside on 30 July, and within three weeks, the Swiss international was given the armband and led Sunderland to the top of the Premier League for a few hours at least.

Regis Le Bris’ side got off to a perfect Premier League start (Credit: Hasan Karim, Breaking Media)

Le Bris‘ young Sunderland side were led to promotion by Dan Neil, but the 23-year-old was left on the bench for their top-flight opener against West Ham, as Xhaka captained the Black Cats on Saturday.

Although Sunderland had eight debutants in the starting XI alone, it was three promotion heroes who made the difference with Eliezer Mayenda and Dan Ballard scoring before Wilson Isidor’s late clincher.

Xhaka occupied the middle of a midfield three featuring fellow new arrivals Habib Diarra and Noah Sadiki, and the 32-year-old took to Instagram on 17 August after a dream start to his Black Cats campaign.

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Sunderland’s new skipper said; “What a start, what a welcome, what an atmosphere!

Amazing afternoon #GX34”, as Luke O’Nein and Dennis Cirkin responded with ‘applause’ and ‘salute’ emojis respectively.

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Football Insider Verdict

Sunderland may have lost two key cogs in their promotion-winning side earlier this summer in the form of Tommy Watson and Jobe Bellingham, but the changes to Le Bris’ side have been wholesale ever since.

Mukiele is the 13th new face to arrive at the Stadium of Light and the ninth to do so for an eight-figure fee, and Atalanta centre-back Jhon Lucumi could be yet another statement signing by the Black Cats.

Only Mayenda, Ballard and Trai Hume and kept their places in the starting XI for Sunderland’s “amazing” top-flight opener on Saturday, but it remains to be seen who’ll still have a spot once the transfer window is over.

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