Sunderland have reportedly rejected Chelsea’s offer for Granit Xhaka and told the Blues that their captain is not for sale at any valuation.
According to David Ornstein of The Athletic, Chelsea submitted a bid worth £8million for the 33-year-old midfielder on Saturday, with Xabi Alonso driving the interest after working with Xhaka at Bayer Leverkusen.
The Guardian had already reported Chelsea’s interest in reuniting Xhaka with Alonso, while Sky Sports also reported that Sunderland considered the Switzerland international not for sale.
Ornstein reports that Sunderland deemed Chelsea’s offer unacceptable and regarded the approach as lacking respect for both Xhaka and the Wearside club.
Chelsea Find Out How Hard The Xhaka Deal Will Be
Xhaka joined Sunderland from Leverkusen last summer in a deal worth up to £17.5million including add-ons. He was made captain and helped the club secure a surprise seventh-place finish, bringing European football back to Sunderland for the first time in 53 years.
That context explains Sunderland’s stance. Xhaka is not just an experienced midfielder on a spreadsheet. He is their captain, their dressing-room organiser and a symbol of the club’s rise.
Read Chelsea has already looked at why Xhaka could give Chelsea a control signing rather than a sentimental reunion. The problem is that Sunderland clearly see the same value.
For Chelsea, this is the clearest test yet of whether their shift towards ready-made players can survive real market resistance. Alonso wants maturity, tactical authority and a trusted voice who understands his demands. Xhaka ticks those boxes.
But the price and politics now look difficult.
Chelsea can justify exploring the deal because Alonso needs immediate midfield control. They cannot ignore Sunderland’s message, though. If the Black Cats refuse to negotiate, the Blues must either make a much stronger offer or move quickly to another experienced target.
The logic behind the pursuit still makes sense. The route to actually doing the deal now looks far more complicated.
