XGranit Xhaka is a Swiss professional footballer born on September 27, 1992, in Basel, Switzerland. He plays as a midfielder and, as of July 2025, is signed with Premier League club Sunderland on a three-year contract, having recently returned to English football after successful terms in Germany and England.
Career Stats
Xhaka began his professional career with FC Basel, winning the Swiss Super League twice and the Swiss Cup once. In 2012, he moved to Borussia Monchengladbach in Germany, where he advanced a honor for technical skill and leadership, becoming club captain in 2015 and leading them to UEFA Champions League qualification twice.
Granit Xhaka shifted to Arsenal in the English Premier League in 2016 for about £30 million. He played almost 300 games for Arsenal over seven years and was the team captain. During this time, he helped the team win the FA Cup twice (in 2017 and 2020) and the Community Shield twice (in 2017 and 2020). Xhaka was known for his strong long-distance shots and free kicks. However, he also had some issues with his behavior, including a well-known incident in 2019 that caused him to lose the captain role. Later, under coach Mikel Arteta, he improved his performance and regained the trust of the fans. He was an important player in Arsenal’s midfield before moving to Germany in 2023.
Xhaka then joined Bayer Leverkusen, where he was crucial in a historic unbeaten Bundesliga season, helping the club secure their first-ever German championship (2023-24), the DFB-Pokal, and the DFL-Supercup. He was recognized individually as Swiss Footballer of the Year multiple times and was included in the Bundesliga Team of the Season for 2023-24 and 2024-25. His leadership and consistent performance helped Leverkusen achieve an invincible double and reach the 2024 UEFA Europa League final.
Internationally, Granit Xhaka is Switzerland’s most capped player with 137 appearances. Xhaka started playing for the Switzerland senior team in 2011. He took part in three World Cups in 2014, 2018, and 2022. Granit also played in several European Championships in 2016, 2020, and 2024. Before that, he was on the Swiss team that won the 2009 FIFA Under-17 World Cup.
| Aspect | Details |
| Clubs | FC Basel, Borussia Mönchengladbach, Arsenal, Bayer Leverkusen, Sunderland |
| Swiss National Caps | 137 (record holder) |
| Major Club Honors | Swiss Super League (2), Swiss Cup, 2× FA Cup, 2× FA Community Shield, Bundesliga (2023-24), DFB-Pokal (2023-24) |
| Individual Awards | Swiss Footballer of the Year (2017, 2022, 2023), Bundesliga Team of the Season (2023-24, 2024-25) |
| Notable Statistics | Nearly 300 Arsenal appearances, key figure in historic unbeaten Bundesliga season |
| Transfer to Sunderland | July 2025, 3-year contract, fee ~£13 million with add-ons |
Who is Girlfriend ?
Granit Xhaka’s girlfriend is Leonita Lekaj, who is actually his wife. They have been together since 2015 and got married in July 2017. Leonita was born in Albania and raised in Kosovo before moving to Germany. The couple has two daughters together and she is known to share their family moments on social media.
Net Worth
Granit Xhaka’s net worth is estimated to be approximately £47.58 million (around $50 million), based on his earnings as a professional footballer currently playing for Bayer 04 Leverkusen in the Bundesliga. He earns about £107,000 per week, which sums up to approximately £5.56 million annually, with a contract running until June 30, 2027.
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