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.
Sunderland could lose their captain, Granit Xhaka
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 Forest’s Ibrahim Sangaré 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 Leroy Sané. 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.
Should Sunderland really worry about losing Xhaka this summer?
Honestly, Sunderland fans probably shouldn’t 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 Sunderland’s ambitions. Keeping Xhaka through the summer would show much more about where this club truly stand than any pre-season statement ever could.
