Sunderland and the £17 million “monster” have reached a personal agreement; he is more thrilling than Lauriente.

On their preseason tour of the Algarve, Sunderland has not yet won a match, but there have been many positive indications.

 

 

In fact, the Black Cats have played tough opponents like Sevilla and Sporting in Portugal, so a 1-1 draw and a 1-0 loss aren’t terrible results, especially considering that many of Regis Le Bris’ first team players are still getting to know one another as new hires.

Habib Diarra and Noah Sadiki especially wowed Sunderland supporters, and if rumors are to be believed, they will be joined in the center by another strong figure.

Sunderland and the £17 million battler agree.

Since Armand Lauriente’s agreement fell through at the last minute, Sunderland supporters will naturally be skeptical of any progressing deal until it is formally finalized.

 

The deal eventually fell through, but Lauriente was reportedly spotted flying to the Stadium of Light to finish a move.

 

This might be the biggest deal Sunderland has completed in a summer where they have already made a few big acquisitions. The agreement for the Swiss international, who is thought to be worth €20 million (£17 million), is much more exciting to finalize than Lauriente’s was ever.

Why it would be more thrilling to sign Xhaka rather than Lauriente

After an incredible Serie B season, Lauriente would have made his presence known in Sunderland red and white.

After all, the smooth Frenchman’s impressive 18 goals for Sassuolo the previous season, which led to a triumphant promotion to the Italian top flight, earned him the title of “amazing” from football talent scout Jacek Kulig.

The seasoned 32-year-old would add to his remarkable total of two goals and seven assists in the much rougher and more competitive Bundesliga last season, with the Bayer Leverkusen number 34 elevating his game in Germany. Xhaka also has a delicious rocket up his sleeve.

Even though Bayern Munich dominated the league, the midfield enforcer would amass 11 goals and ten assists from 174 games in the top division, 66 of which were for Leverkusen. Of those games, 12 were played at the BayArena, and his team won the Bundesliga during his two-season tenure.

Xhaka’s Premier League career numbers
Stat	Xhaka
Games played	225
Goals	17
Assists	25
Completed passes	14,865 (88%)
Tackles	368
Duels won	1001
Stats by the Premier League

Instead of wallowing in the disappointment of the Frenchman’s deal falling through, Xhaka’s experience in the demanding Premier League makes him a far more valuable addition. Lauriente, on the other hand, has only played 133 games in Serie A and Ligue 1.

Despite his numerous ups and downs at Arsenal, Xhaka’s incredible 17 goals and 25 assists from 225 top-flight games have earned him a reputation as a key player who helped the Gunners get through tough times.

In addition, he consistently put up a strong fight for the Gunners, winning 1001 duels in the process and being dubbed “monster” by writer Connor Humm of Arsenal.

This would be a remarkable addition to create a £17 million star who has also been hailed as a “technician” by Chelsea great Joe Cole. He possesses the guts necessary for a relegation battle, as well as the quality to try and drive Sunderland out of that muck.

Even though Lauriente has developed into a fantastic forward under Le Bris’ guidance, the former Lorient manager should see to this transfer if he wants ready-made Premier League players.