With Granit Xhaka staying put at the Stadium of Light, those of a Sunderland persuasion will no doubt be beaming from ear to ear.

If he was going to up and leave, his time on Wearside would have unfortunately been remembered for being a short but sweet stay, with Xhaka only around for a singular campaign which ended in Regis Le Bris' men amazingly securing Europa League football.

Thankfully, the Black Cats have turned down Chelsea advances in recent days, meaning the unfolding love story will continue next season.

Sunderland in talks to sign new midfielder after keeping Xhaka

The passionate Wearside masses instantly fell in love with the ex-Arsenal star as his tireless and energetic displays helped the Black Cats to punch above their weight.

With the capture of Xhaka last summer going down as a resounding success, the hope will be that they are able to repeat that trick a year on.

The concern will be whether Sunderland accidentally go backwards this coming season, as second season syndrome leads to the bubble bursting at the Stadium of Light, but they are in talks to sign Juventus star Khephrem Thuram in another eye-catching transfer pursuit.

Indeed, reports from Italy indicate that Sunderland are in the race to sign the Frenchman, alongside Newcastle United, Aston Villa and various other suitors from the Premier League, with the 25-year-old's price tag coming in at the £42m mark. All of those clubs are said to have 'asked for information' about the player's situation and what it may take to prise him away from Italy.

This would make Thuram Sunderland's most expensive capture of all time, with the club record £27m splashed out on Habib Diarra last summer blown out of the water emphatically.

Xhaka would surely be even more up for staying at the Stadium of Light, if the Black Cats were to seal a spectacular deal for the Old Lady number 19, with both Thuram and the Basel-born battler going on to form a formidable partnership in the middle of the pitch.

Why Xhaka could form a formidable partnership alongside Thuram

In many Sunderland fans' eyes last campaign, Xhaka was their player of the season.

For £13m, the Black Cats won a phenomenal bargain, with the midfield veteran rolling back the years to his intimidating Arsenal best for Le Bris and Co as he won a lively 4.6 duels per game in the Premier League.

Collecting one goal and six assists along the way, the much-loved captain barely put a foot wrong all season, with Thuram hoping he can be instantly as loved on his arrival.

Xhaka would certainly enjoy lining up alongside the midfielder, with the 25-year-old a midfield talent very much in the same mould as the 150-cap Switzerland international.

Indeed, he would collect six goal contributions last season in Serie A action for the Turin titans, which is only one off Xhaka's own tally.

Moreover, he would be equal parts calm and combative for the Italian side, much like Xhaka on Wearside, with an 87% pass accuracy per Serie A match, coupled by winning a tenacious 3.8 duels per game.

His energetic displays from the middle of the park are so well-known at this point that Thuram was affectionately labelled a "one-man army" by talent scout Jacek Kulig when he was on the books of Nice, so the Frenchman and Xhaka should complement each other nicely if their paths do cross.

It will cost a pretty penny to tempt Thuram to England, but all of Sunderland's excessive summer spending paid off last season, so the big bucks might have to be splashed out to ensure the Black Cats don't fall victim to a second season slump, and to keep the likes of Xhaka anchored.