Sunderland are rejecting Chelsea’s reported attempt to sign midfielder Granit Xhaka after turning down an £8 million offer. Multiple outlets report that Chelsea’s interest is linked to new manager Xabi Alonso, who previously coached Xhaka at Bayer Leverkusen. According to the reports, Xhaka has been in discussions about the possibility of moving to Stamford Bridge, but Sunderland have made clear they do not intend to sell their captain this summer. The Athletic reports that the £8 million proposal was made in June and that the club’s stance remains that Xhaka is not for sale. Sky Sports similarly frames the situation as Xhaka not being available despite Chelsea’s interest.
While the reports describe Chelsea attempting to push the deal forward, Sunderland’s decision means the transfer does not progress at the reported valuation. The overall picture across sources is that, despite personal connections to Alonso and Chelsea’s plans to strengthen their midfield, Sunderland keep control of the player’s future and Xhaka is expected to remain with the club for the time being.
