Fakayejo Paul
Sunderland have slammed the door shut on Chelsea’s opening salvo for veteran midfielder Granit Xhaka. As reported by David Ornstein, the Black Cats have swiftly rejected an initial proposal worth £8 million (€9.2 million) from the West London club, deeming the fee completely unacceptable.
The Wearside hierarchy has made its position explicitly clear: they have closed doors on negotiations and maintain that the 33-year-old Switzerland international is not for sale at any valuation this summer. Sunderland leadership reportedly felt the low-ball opening offer lacked respect for a player who completely transformed their midfield engine room last season.
The Alonso Factor & Xhaka’s Stance
Despite Sunderland’s rigid “hands-off” warning, the situation remains highly active due to the strong leverage on the player’s side:
- The Tactical Architect: Incoming Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso—who officially assumes his duties on July 1—has identified Xhaka as his absolute priority target. The duo shared a legendary, unbeaten Bundesliga title-winning campaign together at Bayer Leverkusen in 2023/24, and Alonso desperately wants Xhaka’s elite leadership to anchor a Chelsea squad currently averaging a young 23.8 years of age.
- The Player’s Desire: Xhaka is very keen on making the move happen. The Swiss captain is highly attracted to the prospect of returning to London and reuniting with his former mentor at Stamford Bridge. Reports from Germany indicate that personal terms between Chelsea and Xhaka’s representatives have already been fully agreed upon in principle.
A Vital Asset at the Stadium of Light
Sunderland’s stubborn resistance stems from just how vital Xhaka became after his €15 million switch from Leverkusen in the summer of 2025.
Impact on Wearside: Xhaka captained Régis Le Bris’ side across 34 Premier League appearances, anchoring them to a sensational 7th-place finish and sealing UEFA Europa League qualification on the final day of the season—ironically by defeating Chelsea.
With a contract tying him to the Stadium of Light until June 2028, Sunderland hold all the cards structurally. However, with Real Madrid closing in on Chelsea’s midfield general Enzo Fernández, Todd Boehly and the Blues hierarchy are expected to return with an improved proposal to test Sunderland’s resolve and hand Alonso his primary target.
Xhaka is currently focused on international duty with Switzerland, where he has led his nation into the Round of 32 at the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup.