adminGranit Xhaka Opens Up: “The True Fans Knew I Was Their Top Player – But Only One Person at Sunderland Actually Wanted Me”
Granit Xhaka has rocked the football world with a no-holds-barred interview that’s split Sunderland supporters right down the middle. The midfielder insists he was the club’s “best player” last season, yet claims he felt unwanted by everyone except head coach Regis Le Bris.
The 34-year-old Switzerland international broke his silence in a candid interview with The Athletic, expressing deep frustration with Sunderland’s hierarchy. This comes just weeks after he stood in the centre circle at the Stadium of Light, promising fans that “this is just the beginning” for a side that had remarkably secured European football. Now, with Chelsea’s £8 million bid firmly rejected and Sunderland insisting their captain isn’t for sale, Xhaka’s blunt remarks have plunged the club into turmoil.
Xhaka joined Sunderland from Bayer Leverkusen last summer for a fee rising to £17 million, was immediately handed the captain’s armband, and became the engine behind a team that defied expectations. He missed only four league games all season and was voted the club’s Player of the Year.
“Only One Person Believed in Me”
In a raw and emotional interview, Xhaka didn’t hold back when discussing his relationship with the Sunderland board.
“I was their best player last season. Everyone could see it. Everyone in the stadium knew it. But only one person wanted me at this club – and that was the manager,” Xhaka said, visibly moved.
“The sporting director, the board, the owners – they never truly valued what I brought. They saw me as a stopgap, a name to sell shirts, an ageing player on big wages they could use for a season and then move on. Regis was the only one who understood what I could give this team.”
Despite his on-field impact, Xhaka claims he was never made to feel part of the club’s long-term vision.
“When I first arrived, there was excitement. But as the season went on, I sensed something shift. The conversations always circled back to my age, my wages, how long I could keep performing,” he revealed.
“I was never included in talks about the future. Nobody asked my opinion on the squad. I was the captain, but I was treated like a temporary worker. That stings when you’ve given everything for the badge.”
Xhaka admitted he was flattered by Chelsea’s interest, especially with manager Xabi Alonso – who coached him at Leverkusen – making him a priority target.
“When a club like Chelsea comes calling, especially with a manager you trust completely, of course you listen,” Xhaka said.
“Xabi knows me better than almost anyone. He understands what I bring to a dressing room. He wanted me at Chelsea because he knows I’m the type of player who elevates those around him. That means a lot – when someone believes in you that strongly.”
Sunderland quickly knocked back Chelsea’s opening offer, with sources labelling the £8 million bid “insulting.” However, Xhaka confirmed he’d already agreed personal terms with the London club.
“I had conversations with Chelsea, yes. I won’t hide from that,” Xhaka stated. “When your club makes you feel unwanted, and another club of Chelsea’s stature makes you feel valued, what are you supposed to do? I have to consider my options.”
Xhaka’s revelations have sent Sunderland fans into meltdown, with social media exploding within minutes.
Many supporters reacted furiously, accusing him of undermining the club and tarnishing his legacy.
“Unbelievable. This man stood in the centre circle five weeks ago and told us ‘this is just the beginning’. Now he’s throwing us under the bus,” wrote one angry fan.
“If he was our best player, why is he trying to leave? The club backed him, gave him the armband, made him the highest earner. And this is how he repays us? That’s not leadership.”
Another added: “I’ve never seen a captain behave like this. He was supposed to be different. He’s destroyed his legacy in one interview. Good riddance.”
However, a sizable portion of the fanbase has rallied behind Xhaka.
“He’s absolutely right! We’ve sold our best players every single window. We scraped into Europe and what have we done to back the manager? Nothing,” argued one supporter.
“Xhaka carried this team on his back. Without him we’d have been mid-table. If the club aren’t matching his ambition, why should he stay? I blame the board for making him feel unwanted.”
Another commented: “Xhaka is just saying what many of us have thought for years. The owners talk a good game, but when it comes to actually backing the manager, they always fall short.”
The debate has become so heated that fans are now clashing with each other online.
“You’re an absolute disgrace if you’re backing him over the club!” wrote one fan.
“Wake up! The board are the real villains here! They’ve been running this club into the ground for years!” countered another.
Xhaka insisted he had no issue with Sunderland supporters.
“The fans were incredible. They embraced me from day one. That moment on the pitch after the final game – that was real. It came from my heart,” Xhaka stressed.
“When I stood there and told them this was just the beginning, I genuinely believed it. But the people running the club? They never made me feel that way. They never came to me and said ‘Granit, you are the future’. It was always ‘you’re 34, you’re on high wages, we need to be careful’. That’s not how you treat your captain.”
“I asked for one conversation about my future. I wanted to feel secure. The answer was ‘we’ll see’. That told me everything I needed to know.”
“This isn’t about money. If it were, I would have gone to Saudi Arabia. I came to Sunderland because I believed in the project. But a project needs everyone to be committed. And I didn’t feel that commitment from the top.”
One source told The Athletic: “The manager is devastated. He has done everything to make Granit feel valued. But he can’t control what happens above him. This is a failure of leadership from the top.”
Chelsea are not expected to return with an improved bid. However, Xhaka’s outburst may force Sunderland’s hand. Several European clubs are monitoring the situation.
For Sunderland, the priority must be damage control. Either they convince Xhaka to stay and back their manager, or they risk losing their captain.
One local journalist commented: “The club has a choice to make. They can either back their manager, back their captain, and show genuine ambition. Or they can continue with this model of buying cheap and selling high. There is no middle ground here.”
Xhaka’s comments have exposed deeper tensions at the Stadium of Light. If a player of Xhaka’s stature feels undervalued, what message does that send to future recruits?
Sunderland’s ambitious plans now appear fragile. The club’s owners must decide whether they’re serious about competing at the top level or content to be a stepping stone.
“I’m not saying this to cause problems. I’m saying it because it’s true, and because the fans deserve to know the truth,” Xhaka concluded.
“I gave everything for that badge. Every game, every training session. I bled for Sunderland. All I wanted was to feel that the club bled for me too. Only one person did. Only Regis. And that hurts more than I can put into words.”
“I love the fans. You made my time at Sunderland special. But I cannot stay somewhere I’m not truly wanted. I hope you can forgive me for speaking the truth.”
As Sunderland gear up for their Europa League campaign, the Xhaka saga threatens to cast a shadow over everything. The club must act decisively – and fast.
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