Waddle: It is too early to say that Xhaka is top Cat

FORMER Sunderland winger Chris Waddle believes that Granit Xhaka has been an outstanding signing for the Black Cats - but rejected suggestions he is their best player of the Premier League era.

- By CLIVE YOULTON Football writer [e-mail]

Waddle also backed his old team to finish outside of the bottom three if they continue at their current level, while he predicted that the first derby with Newcastle will be a tight match.

Asked if Xhaka is Sunderland’s best ever Premier League player, as some fans have suggested, Waddle said: “We've not been in the Premier League for a long time.

“I wouldn't say he's their greatest player ever. Listen, Kevin Phillips did an unbelievable job scoring goals there, as did Niall Quinn under Peter Reid. That was a great side.

“Xhaka has really impressed me. He grew into himself at Bayer Leverkusen, kicked on from the player he was at Arsenal.

“He was a bit boring there, and he showed he had more to his game at Leverkusen. He’s come into Sunderland and he is pulling the strings.