Sunderland captain Granit Xhaka will be sidelined for at least two weeks due to an ankle injury, head coach Régis Le Bris has confirmed.
The Albanian midfielder underwent initial examinations and will be subject to further assessments after the recovery period.
Xhaka, who joined Sunderland in the summer from Bayer Leverkusen in a deal that could be worth up to €20 million, had played every minute of the Premier League season prior to the injury.
He missed the 3–1 defeat to West Ham United, a match that was also followed by an incident involving fans while he was on the bench.
The French coach explained:
“He has an ankle injury, he needs at least two weeks to recover, and then we will carry out another assessment.”
Xhaka has been one of Sunderland’s most important players this season, featuring in all 23 matches across all competitions, scoring one goal and providing five assists. His absence over the next two weeks will be a major challenge for Le Bris as the team prepares for crucial Premier League fixtures.
