Xhaka spent seven years with the Gunners, lifting two FA Cups and two Community Shields. And he meets former club Arsenal with Sunderland sitting fourth on the Premier League table.
Xhaka told safc.com: It is not usually the case that a player comes in and is made captain, but the club had a clear plan with me for the future and what they wanted from me.
“I’m 33 now and with my experience in the UK and abroad, I have had many coaches in my career where I took a lot from them. I’m very happy to be in England and at Sunderland. I knew the club was huge with its history and its fanbase, but I can feel it now.”
That passion has been evident on the pitch and mirrored by the unity between players and supporters - something Xhaka believes has been crucial to the team’s strong start.
“I always say the connection between the players and the fans is so important. When I came here, my message was that it doesn’t matter how things are going, we always have this support. We need the supporters; they are so important,” he said.
“When you feel welcome in a football club, you do things automatically and as soon as I came through the door, I felt at home here.”
The Swiss added, “No one before the season thought we would be where we are, but to me it’s not surprising.
“If you see this team and how everyone works day by day – how demanding we are and the mentality – these are the standards every day here. How you train is how you play. That’s what I believe. We deserve to be where we are.”