What Granit Xhaka said about Nordi Mukiele 309 days ago is now very true at Sunderland

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Granit Xhaka has been proven right about Sunderland teammate Nordi Mukiele nearly a year after he praised the defender.

Mukiele arrived in a £10 million deal from Paris Saint-Germain this summer after spending the 2024/25 campaign on loan at Bayer Leverkusen.

The Frenchman played alongside Xhaka in Germany – he also made the switch to the Stadium of Light in July, reuniting the pair on Wearside.

Regis Le Bris spent approximately £163 million to bolster his squad ahead of his side’s top-flight return, and it is proving to be money well spent as the Black Cats sit seven points clear of the relegation zone.

However, some of the summer arrivals are proving more important than others as Mukiele, alongside Xhaka and two others, have been recognised for their efforts thus far.

Nordi Mukiele named in Team of the Season so far

WhoScored compiled a Premier League Team of the Season so far using only players who signed for their respective clubs this summer.

Sunderland dominated the team, with Mukiele, Xhaka, Omar Alderete, and Robin Roefs named, while no other club had more than one player in the team.

Mukiele has been “rock solid” for the Black Cats thus far, starting every league match except the 2-0 loss against Burnley since he signed on the dotted line.

While his former Leverkusen teammate Xhaka has been named key to Sunderland’s survival, the centre-back’s influence at the Stadium of Light has flown relatively under the radar.

The 27-year-old brings a wealth of Champions League and European top-flight experience to the Black Cats, which have clearly contributed to his immediate impact in English football.

Considering Sunderland are ninth in the league table ahead of the clash against Wolves, it is a testament to the exceptional work of director of football Florent Ghisolfi, who oversaw the transfer business.

Mukiele has helped the Black Cats keep a respectable three clean sheets in the league, with the help of the “outstanding” Roefs in goal.

What Granit Xhaka said about Nordi Mukiele

On 10 December 2024, Mukiele scored a 90th-minute match-winner to help Leverkusen claim a 1-0 win against Inter Milan in the Champions League.

The win helped the Bundesliga outfit achieve a top-eight finish in the league phase, as the Frenchman was beginning to rediscover his best form after two years of playing a rotational role in Paris.

Xhaka, captain of Leverkusen at the time, spoke to Bulinews following the result and praised Mukiele for his impact after his troubles at PSG.

“Every start in life is not easy. Coming into a new team after this season, in which everything was perfect for us, is probably even more difficult.

“But Nordi is a player who can play in different positions and has a mentality that is very important. He is very stable defensively and physically. The fact he’s now scoring goals is all the better.”