Leeds United’s expected key new Premier League rivals have agreed a £17m deal to sign a former Arsenal star.

A £17m deal has been agreed for a former Arsenal star to join Leeds United’s expected key new Premier League rivals.

Newly-promoted Championship play-offs winners Sunderland have already shelled out well over £100m this summer to sign Habib Diarra, Simon Adingra, Chemsdine Talbi, Enzo Le Fee and Noah Sadiki in addition to landing Reinildo Mandava on a free transfer.

Ex-Gunners ace set to join from giants

The Black Cats, though, are now poised to land another big signing having agreed a deal worth up to £17m with Bayer Leverkusen to snap up former Arsenal captain Granit Xhaka.

Now 32, the Switzerland national team captain left the Gunners in July 2023 to sign for Leverkusen in a £21.4m deal. He has since made 99 appearances for the club, scoring six teams and bagging nine assists.

Despite their raft of signings, Sunderland remain favourites to be relegated, the Black Cats expected to prove key rivals to fellow newly-promoted side Leeds in the bid to survive the first season back.