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Sunderland's captain Granit Xhaka is being targeted by Turkish club Besiktas as they seek a defensive midfielder. Xhaka, contracted until June 2028, has shown interest in a potential move to Istanbul.
Sunderlandâs Key Man Targeted By Super Lig Giants: Should The Club Fight To Keep Their Captain?
Sunderland could lose their captain to Turkish giants Besiktas this summer, according to a report from Turkish outlet Fotomac. The Istanbul club are actively searching for a defensive central midfielder ahead of the 2026/27 season, largely because the future of Wilfred Ndidi remains uncertain following his post-Leicester City spell. Because of this, Besiktas have placed Sunderland skipper Granit Xhaka on their agenda as a potential replacement.
The 33-year-old Swiss international, who joined Sunderland from Bayer Leverkusen last summer and is contracted until June 2028, has reportedly been researching life in Istanbul and showing genuine curiosity about the Super Lig. Nottingham Forestâs Ibrahim SangarĂ© is also a target, though Besiktas may find him financially out of reach at 28.
Recent tax legislation in Turkish football has made the country increasingly attractive to top players, a dynamic that helped Galatasaray land Victor Osimhen and . Club president Serdal Adalı and manager Sergen Yalçın are set to meet and evaluate whether to push a formal approach for Xhaka. Even so, Turkish media consistently over-promise on transfer interest, so caution applies here.
Besiktas is looking for a defensive central midfielder due to uncertainty surrounding Wilfred Ndidi's future, making Xhaka a potential replacement.
Granit Xhaka is contracted with Sunderland until June 2028, having joined the club from Bayer Leverkusen last summer.
In addition to Granit Xhaka, Besiktas is also targeting Nottingham Forest's Ibrahim Sangaré, although his financial demands may be too high.

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SUNDERLAND, ENGLAND â MAY 09: Granit Xhaka of Sunderland reacts during the Premier League match between Sunderland and Manchester United at Stadium of Light on May 09, 2026 in Sunderland, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
Honestly, Sunderland fans probably shouldnât panic yet, but they absolutely should not dismiss this either. Xhaka brings something rare to the Stadium of Light, and those are composure under pressure, intelligent positioning, and genuine leadership across a young squad. His weaknesses are real, as he is 33, his pace has long gone, and Xhaka can occasionally receive unnecessary yellow cards from overly aggressive challenges, yet his strengths far outweigh those concerns for a Sunderland side still building identity.
The club signed him to lead a promotion push, not to ship him off one season in. Losing a captain of his experience and profile to a mid-table Super Lig side, no matter the money involved, would send a troubling signal about Sunderlandâs ambitions. Keeping Xhaka through the summer would show much more about where this club truly stand than any pre-season statement ever could.