Sunderland are on the verge of signing Granit Xhaka from Bayer Leverkusen in a deal worth up to £17 million — comprising an initial £13 million fee and £4 million in potential add-ons.

The 32-year-old Swiss international is expected to travel to England soon to undergo a medical and sign a three-year contract at the Stadium of Light.

Xhaka returns to the Premier League after a two-year stint in Germany, where he helped Leverkusen secure their first-ever Bundesliga title in 2024. Prior to that, he spent seven years at Arsenal, making 297 appearances in all competitions, winning two FA Cups, and briefly serving as club captain before departing for the Bundesliga in 2023.

The move takes Sunderland’s summer spending to £114 million, although they’ve recouped around £37 million through the sales of Jobe Bellingham and Tommy Watson.

Only the Premier League’s traditional “Big Six” have spent more this summer than Sunderland, who gained promotion from the Championship via a play-off final win over Sheffield United in May.

Xhaka becomes the Black Cats’ eighth summer signing, joining an ambitious recruitment list that includes Enzo Le Fée, Habib Diarra, Noah Sadiki, Reinildo Mandava, Chemsdine Talbi, and Simon Adingra.