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Erik ten Hag has made it clear that Granit Xhaka will not be leaving Bayer Leverkusen, even though the player’s agent has claimed that a transfer deal with Sunderland has already been agreed upon.

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WHAT HAPPENED?

Following the departures of key Leverkusen players Jeremie Frimpong and Florian Wirtz to Liverpool and Jonathan Tah to Bayern Munich, Xhaka’s agent stated that a “basic agreement” had been reached with Sunderland, and that the Swiss midfielder was keen to move. However, after agent José Noguerra Rodriguez suggested that Leverkusen had given the 32-year-old permission to discuss a transfer, manager Erik ten Hag firmly dismissed the claim.

WHAT TEN HAG SAID

“An agent can say whatever he wants. We’ve already sold three crucial players. We can’t afford to let anyone else go—it would destabilise the structure and the culture of the team,” said the former Manchester United manager during a press briefing. “Xhaka is a leader. He still has three years remaining on his contract, and he is simply too significant to lose.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Bayer Leverkusen clinched both the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal titles in 2024 but failed to win any silverware last season. With manager Xabi Alonso, Frimpong, and Wirtz no longer part of the setup, the German side faces an uncertain period that Ten Hag is determined to stabilise. Xhaka remains a cornerstone of their midfield, and his departure would be a major setback for the club.

WHAT NEXT?

It is still unclear whether Xhaka will push for an exit from Leverkusen this summer. For now, Ten Hag—who took over in May after being dismissed by Manchester United in October—will lead his new side against VFL Bochum in their upcoming pre-season friendly on Sunday evening.