Sunderland struck gold on “incredible” star who’s now as influential as Xhaka

Since the first phase of Premier League fixtures were concluded at the start of January, Sunderland‘s frustrating form has dragged them down to 18th place.

That’s only in the form standings, of course, with the stunning reemergence as a top-flight outfit ensuring the Black Cats put ample room between them and the drop zone.

However, Regis Le Bris knows that an upswing is needed, else Sunderland, who are actually 12th with 36 points, could be chased down by 18th-place West Ham United, who have been in strong form for a number of weeks.

It is no surprise, of course, that recent results have been affected by the absence of captain Granit Xhaka.

Granit Xhaka’s impact at Sunderland

When Sunderland signed Xhaka from Bayer Leverkusen in a deal rising to £17m, few expected him to reach, and perhaps even eclipse, the levels he reached across seven years at Arsenal.

It sounds harsh, but that was the opinion that many observers noted when the 33-year-old Swiss international returned to the Premier League.

But Xhaka has been a monstrous force at the heart of the Stadium of Light, undoubtedly the driving presence of an outfit who have broken the mould set by the promoted sides of recent years, with all six teams to have come up from the Championship in the two previous terms pulled straight back down.

The powerful midfielder will not sustain this level over so many years, but his stunning range of passing, combative defensive presence and stirring leadership have created a base from which Le Bris is building.

Of course, Sunderland will need other stars to step up when Xhaka winds down. And there is one midfielder in particular who’s standing out.

Sunderland signing is now as influential as Xhaka

Praised for his sparkling creativity in France, Sunderland felt they had secured a coup when they signed Enzo Le Fee from Roma for a £20m fee. He spent the latter half of the 2024/25 campaign on loan with the Wearsiders before tying the pre-agreed knot this summer.

This was a significant underlining of ambition. Described by talent scout Jacek Kulig as one of France’s “most precious jewels”, a “tireless runner” with a wide enough skillset to encompass the midfield game, he was always going to do well in the Premier League, and he’s settled in nicely this season, complementing Xhaka’s industriousness.

The Frenchman’s versatility and balance in the engine room have paid dividends this season, and while Le Bris claimed last season that the 26-year-old was only operating at “70 to 75% of his ability“, that surely bodes well for the future, given how important he’s been this year.

Indeed, he may have even levelled up since the summer, stepping into a harsh Premier League environment but maintaining a starting berth throughout, winning duels and creating chances and covering plenty of ground.

Kulig has also marvelled at Le Fee’s “incredible” talent, and while he’s not cut from the same cloth as Xhaka, his presence in the middle of the park suggests he could be the one who steps up as the captain’s quality is lessened by age.

Le Fee has been deployed on the left wing a fair bit this season, but it’s clear he’s at his best when he’s bursting forward from the centre.

Expensive spending sprees are so often labelled as newfangled blunders. But Sunderland conducted their business with care, and Le Bris’ side just need to recover some of their form over the next few months to retain their Premier League status.

In this, Xhaka has been instrumental, and Le Fee, who was introduced 13 months ago and has the benefit of longer integration, is becoming just as important.

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