Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has lavished praise on Sunderland skipper Granit Xhaka, calling the Swiss midfielder the Premier League signing of the season following his impressive performance against Everton.

The Black Cats held Everton to a 1-1 draw in Monday night’s Premier League clash at the Stadium of Light. Xhaka, who captains Sunderland, netted a crucial equaliser just after halftime to cancel out Iliman Ndiaye’s first-half strike for the visitors.

The 33-year-old’s commanding display in midfield earned him the Man of the Match award and further solidified his reputation as one of the most impactful new arrivals in the league this season.

Speaking to newsmen before kick-off, Carragher had already highlighted Xhaka’s influence on Sunderland’s resurgence, naming him his top signing of the campaign.

“He must be the signing of the season,” Carragher said. “When you think of someone who’s influential on their team, I’ve been calling Manchester City the Erling Haaland team, but is there anyone right now in the Premier League having a bigger influence on their club than Granit Xhaka? There can’t be. An absolutely brilliant signing so far.”

Following the final whistle, the Liverpool legend doubled down on his admiration for the former Arsenal star, praising his leadership and technical brilliance.

“For me I thought Granit Xhaka was absolutely fantastic again. Not just the goal but head and shoulders above almost everybody on that pitch tonight,” Carragher added.

Before joining Sunderland, Xhaka made 297 appearances for Arsenal between 2016 and 2023. He later moved to Bayer Leverkusen in Germany, where he played a key role under Xabi Alonso in guiding the club to their historic Bundesliga title before making his Premier League return.