Granit Xhaka Breaks Silence: “The Real Ones Knew I Was Their Best Player, But Only One Person Wanted Me at Sunderland”

Granit Xhaka Breaks Silence: “The Real Ones Knew I Was Their Best Player, But Only One Person Wanted Me at Sunderland”

Granit Xhaka has sent shockwaves through the football world with a stunning interview that has left Sunderland fans absolutely divided, with the midfielder claiming he was the club’s “best player” last season yet felt unwanted by everyone except manager Regis Le Bris.



The Switzerland international, 34, broke his silence in an explosive interview with The Athletic, revealing deep frustrations with Sunderland’s hierarchy just weeks after standing in the centre circle at the Stadium of Light and promising supporters that “this is just the beginning” for a team that had remarkably qualified for European football.

Now, with Chelsea’s £8 million bid firmly rejected and Sunderland insisting their captain is not for sale, Xhaka’s scathing comments have thrown the club into absolute chaos.

Xhaka, who arrived from Bayer Leverkusen for up to £17 million last summer, was immediately handed the captain’s armband and became the driving force behind a team that exceeded all expectations. He missed just four league games and was voted Player of the Year.

Only One Person Believed in Me”



In a candid and emotional interview, Xhaka did not hold back on his frustrations 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 stated with visible emotion.

“The sporting director, the board, the owners  they never truly valued what I brought to this football club. They saw me as a stopgap, a name to sell shirts, an ageing player on high wages who they could use for a season and then move on. Regis [Le Bris] was the only one who understood what I could give to this team.”

Yet behind the scenes, Xhaka claims he was never made to feel like a true part of the club’s long-term future.

“When I first arrived, there was excitement. But as the season went on, I started to sense something different. The conversations were always about my age, about my wages, about how long I could keep performing,” he revealed.

“I was never invited to discussions about the future. No one asked me what I thought about the squad. I was the captain, but I was treated like a temporary employee. That hurts when you give everything for the badge.”

The midfielder admitted he was flattered by Chelsea’s interest, with manager Xabi Alonso  who coached Xhaka at Leverkusen  making him a priority target.

“When a club like Chelsea comes calling, especially with a manager you trust implicitly, of course you listen,” Xhaka acknowledged.

“Xabi knows me better than almost anyone. He knows what I bring to a dressing room. He wanted me at Chelsea because he knows I am the type of player who makes everyone around him better. That is a powerful feeling when someone believes in you that much.”

Sunderland swiftly rejected Chelsea’s opening bid, with sources describing the £8 million offer as “insulting.” However, Xhaka revealed he had already agreed personal terms with Chelsea.

“I had conversations with Chelsea, yes. I am not going to hide from that,” Xhaka confirmed. “When the club you are at 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 absolute meltdown, with social media platforms exploding within minutes.

Many supporters have reacted with fury, accusing him of undermining the club and destroying 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 incensed fan.

“If he was our best player, why is he trying to leave? The club have backed him, given him the armband, made him the highest earner. And this is how he repays us? That is 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 significant 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 been thinking 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 intense 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.

The midfielder 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. That came from my heart,” Xhaka insisted.



“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 is 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 was about money, 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 cannot 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 limitation. 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 lifted the lid on deeper tensions at the Stadium of Light. If a player of Xhaka’s standing feels undervalued, what message does that send to other recruits?

Sunderland’s ambitious plans now appear fragile. The club’s owners must decide if they are serious about competing at the top level or content to be a stepping stone.



“I am not saying this to cause problems. I am saying it because it is 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 where I am not truly wanted. I hope you can forgive me for speaking the truth.”

As Sunderland prepare for their Europa League campaign, the Xhaka saga threatens to overshadow everything. The club must act decisively.