Xhaka's agent, Jose Noguerra Rodriguez, had previously confirmed that an agreement had been reached between Sunderland and the midfielder. However, ten Hag is keen to keep Xhaka at the club and has stated that he is not interested in selling him.

When asked about the situation, ten Hag emphasized the importance of Xhaka to the team. He pointed out that the club has already lost several key players in recent times, including Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, and Jonathan Tah.

“Granit is a leader, and he still has three years left on his contract here,” ten Hag said. He believes that Xhaka's experience and leadership qualities make him a vital part of the team.