adminJermain Defoe reveals what he told Granit Xhaka about Sunderland and delivers verdict on season so far
Summer signing Granit Xhaka has been an integral part of Sunderland’s strong start to the campaign
Former Sunderland striker Jermain Defoe gave Granit Xhaka a glowing reference before his summer switch from Bayer Leverkusen.
Sunderland completed an audacious move for the 33-year-old following their promotion to the Premier League, and the former Arsenal midfielder has been an integral part of their strong start to the new season.
Xhaka contacted Defoe for some advice about the club and the area as weighed up the summer switch and received an emphatic response from the striker.
Defoe said: “Granit Xhaka was on my A licence so he messaged me and wanted to obviously speak about the club and he said, ‘what’s it like?’ I said, ‘you’ll love it there, the fans are amazing. It’d be good for you.’ Especially with his experience and he’ll help with the young players and stuff like that. And he’s loved it. I am just really happy that they’ve started well.”
Defoe, speaking on the Could It Be Magic? podcast, also praised Sunderland for their excellent start in which they have taken eleven points from seven games.
He said: “It was amazing up there. I remember speaking to Darren Bent years ago when he went to Sunderland from Tottenham and he said to me ‘JD, the club’s unbelievable’, like the atmosphere, the fan base and stuff. I remember my mate Gus Poyet signed me. More recent times it’s been a struggle, you know, getting relegated and then you find yourself in like League One. Even then I thought, you know what, this club’s like a sleeping giant.
“I thought, at some stage when this club’s back in the Premier League for these young players to experience playing for this football club in the Premier League, it’s something special. And obviously I’ve been following their journey and to be back in the Premier League now is unbelievable. And what a start.
“Honestly, even my time there, I can’t remember being at Sunderland when we started the season well. It was always that we always started slow. Even when I played in, like, really good teams, for some reason we always started slow. But what a start for these players, I mean, Isidor the centre forward has scored in the home games and he has the No 18 shirt.”
Could It Be Magic? with Joe Cole and Ashley Cole, brought to you by Carling, the official sponsor of the Emirates FA Cup and Adobe Women’s FA Cup. You can watch the show on YouTube and Spotify or listen to it wherever you get your podcasts. Episode 1 is out now and can be watched here or you can listen wherever you get your podcasts.
admin
