Sunderland injury news: Granit Xhaka fitness update provides reason for Stadium of Light concern

Sunderland midfielder Granit Xhaka has withdrawn from international duty with Switzerland this month.

The 34-year-old started on Sunday afternoon in the top flight for Regis Le Bris's side as an Enzo Le Fee penalty was enough to secure maximum points over Chelsea, however, the Black Cats are still 19th in the Premier League standings.

Xhaka lasted just four minutes of the North-East contest before being replaced, with Sunderland going on to defeat the visiting Blues, who were again without the services of star striker Joao Pedro.

After the opening 10 matches of the Premier League campaign, Le Bris's troops have collected just eight points, sitting only above crisis-hit Crystal Palace in the rankings as a relegation battle looms large.

Sunderland will be looking to record back-to-back top-flight victories for the first time this season following the international pause on November 21, when they make the tricky trip to Aston Villa.

Sunderland injury news: Xhaka withdraws from Switzerland duty

Speaking on social media, the Swiss FA have confirmed that Sunderland midfielder Xhaka has been withdrawn from international duty this month, representing a major blow to both his club and country.

The post reveals that the 34-year-old's problem is a calf issue, with the former Bundesliga champion set to miss UEFA Nations League clashes with Slovenia and Scotland over the next week.

When quizzed on Xhaka's issue following the Chelsea win, Sunderland boss Le Bris said: “It looks like a calf injury, but we do not know exactly the timeframe at the minute. It was just the last sprint of the warm-up, that is often the case [with these injuries].”

The ex-Arsenal man had a scan on his injured calf yesterday with the results yet to be revealed, however, the fitness setback is clearly large enough to keep him sidelined over the next fortnight.

Murat Yakin's Swiss side have enjoyed a marvellous start to their Nations League B campaign, winning four consecutive matches in the September/October window to give themselves the opportunity to secure promotion with a victory in Slovenia on Friday.

Is Xhaka's Sunderland slow-down inevitable?

After featuring in 99 competitive games for Bayer Leverkusen over a two-year period, Xhaka arrived at the Stadium of Light during the summer of 2025, helping Sunderland to reach new Premier League heights.

The veteran midfielder featured in 36 games across all competitions for the Black Cats as they avoided relegation with ease, instead securing a spot in this season's edition of the Europa League.

In the twilight of his career, it is no surprise that niggling injuries are beginning to hinder Xhaka, who has gone through an enormous amount of midfield work for Leverkusen and Sunderland since 2023.