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Sunderland offered the chance to sign “monster” talent in Xhaka repeat
Granit Xhaka has arguably been Sunderland‘s best summer signing since they brought him to the club from Bayer Leverkusen for a fee of £13m.
The Switzerland international arrived at the Stadium of Light with heaps and heaps of experience at the top level, having played for Borussia Monchengladbach, Arsenal, and Bayer Leverkusen, as well as for his country.
Per FotMob, Xhaka currently leads the team for assists (five), big chances created (seven), accurate passes per 90 (43.1), and xA (2.2) in the Premier League this season, which speaks to the influence he has had on the pitch.
The Black Cats skipper has pulled the string in the middle of the park for Regis Le Bris, and has helped the team to steer well clear of the relegation places so far.
Xhaka, as a player who made almost 300 appearances for Arsenal, was an astute signing for the club because he arrived on Wearside with all the experience that he needed to hit the ground running in August.
Sunderland offered the chance to sign Serie A star
The Black Cats have now been offered the chance to sign a star who could be a repeat of the masterclass that they played with Xhaka last summer.
According to TEAMtalk, Sunderland are one of a number of teams that have been alerted to the availability of AC Milan central midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek.
The report claims that Aston Villa, Manchester United, Newcastle, Brentford, Everton, Sunderland, and Fulham have all been offered the chance to sign the former England international in the January transfer window.
It states that those clubs have been contacted by intermediaries to provide them with an opportunity to swoop in for a deal to sign the Serie A talent before the end of the month.
TEAMtalk adds that AC Milan are open to sending him out on loan until the end of the season, with an option to make the move permanent in the summer window, although it remains to be seen what kind of fee they are hoping to get for his services.
Why Sunderland should sign Ruben Loftus-Cheek
The Black Cats should take up this opportunity to sign the experienced midfielder in the coming weeks because he could be a Xhaka repeat for the club this month.
As the Swiss star did in the summer, Loftus-Cheek would arrive at the Stadium of Light as an incredibly experienced player at the top level, and could hit the ground running because of his previous exposure to Premier League football.
The 29-year-old star has played 157 games in the Premier League in his career, per Transfermarkt, across spells with Chelsea, Fulham, and Crystal Palace, and he racked up ten goals and 11 assists in those matches.
Since leaving England to sign for AC Milan from Chelsea in the summer of 2023, Loftus-Cheek has also gained experience in the Italian top-flight, and proven himself to be a goal threat in another country.
The 11-cap England international has scored ten goals in 90 appearances for Milan in all competitions, per Transfermarkt, including four goals in 12 Europa League and Champions League games combined.
This shows that Loftus-Cheek would join Sunderland as a star who has proven his quality as a goalscoring central midfielder for huge clubs in England and Italy, just as Xhaka had proven himself in England and Germany with Arsenal and Leverkusen.
|
25/26 Serie A |
Loftus-Cheek per 90 |
Rank vs CMs |
|---|---|---|
|
xG |
0.24 |
Top 6% |
|
Goals |
0.11 |
Top 24% |
|
Touches in opposition box |
6.38 |
Top 2% |
|
Duels won |
6.16 |
Top 22% |
|
Aerial duels won |
2.98 |
Top 6% |
|
Aerial duel success rate |
54.9% |
Top 27% |
As you can see in the table above, the former Chelsea star’s form for Milan in the current Serie A campaign suggests that he can provide a strong goal threat as well as physical qualities off the ball.
Loftus-Cheek was once dubbed a “monster” for his physical frame by reporter Bobby Manzi, and his impressive numbers in duels, on the ground and in the air, suggest that comment still holds up to this day.
This means that the veteran midfielder could provide quality in and out of possession for the Black Cats, just as Xhaka has done since his move from Leverkusen.
Therefore, signing Loftus-Cheek to bolster their midfield options could be a Xhaka repeat for Sunderland if they decide to take up this chance to bring him back to England.
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