Manchester United should sign Granit Xhaka from Sunderland to bolster their midfield and leadership this summer, says Peter Schmeichel.
Xhaka has been one of the signings of the season since joining the Black Cats from Bayer Leverkusen for £17million in August.
The 33-year-old has barely missed a beat, taking the armband from the beginning and playing in 31 Premier League matches, providing six assists.
With Casemiro leaving United after four years, club legend Schmeichel believes the former Arsenal star would be a strong replacement.
‘Maybe controversial in thinking, but I think we should go and sign Xhaka, cheaper,’ he told The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast.
‘We are going to build a team around Kobbie [Mainoo]. Casemiro is leaving, bring in [Adam] Wharton and [Elliot] Anderson or whatever, who are still young.
Manchester United should try to sign Granit Xhaka from Sunderland, says Peter Schmeichel
‘What we don’t have really is proper leadership. When I look and see what Xhaka has done at Sunderland, he is the reason why they are absolutely amazing.
‘His leadership qualities are great, he can play 80 per cent of the games and he is a very good player. I know he can do it. If he does one or two years, we need leadership.
‘I know [Sandro] Tonali is mentioned, but has he done enough at Newcastle to warrant that?’
The goalkeeping legend added: ‘I think Xhaka would bring a lot to the dressing room, and have power around the person which is rare. We are desperate for more leadership.
‘Harry Maguire is a fantastic leader. I do think he is. I think Bruno [Fernandes] is. He’s a leader in his own way, but he’s a leader and he leads a lot by how he plays.
‘But then I look at the rest of the squad, you know, they’re followers.
‘We’ve been in squads where everyone was leading. We know the value of having those players in there because on a Sunday or a Tuesday night, I always said, a Tuesday night where everything is going against you.
‘You need somebody who can pull you out by the hair, the short hairs and get you playing or find that little bit to bring you up. And that value of having that… and I’ve been thinking about this for a while, I think that would be a really good thing, I want somebody like that.’
United’s midfield will be hampered by the exit of legendary star Casemiro in the summer
Xhaka has two years left on his contract at Sunderland and has only bolstered his reputation there, so will not be available on the cheap.
But United will have more financial legroom thanks to qualifying for the Champions League and he would likely cost less than an equivalent younger option.
Sunderland may yet still be able to offer Xhaka European football to tempt him to stay if any suitors come calling.
Regis Le Bris’ side are four points behind seventh-placed Brentford and five behind Bournemouth in sixth with three games left.
There is a chance that sixth becomes a Champions League qualifying spot. For that, Aston Villa will have to win the Europa League and finish in the top five.
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