Transfer blow: Chelsea rejected in Xhaka move as Sunderland call the offer insulting
Xabi Alonso has already hit his first transfer setback. According to The Athletic, Chelsea have put forward an offer worth around 9.2 million euros to Sunderland for Granit Xhaka, with the new Blues boss keen to reunite with a player he knew well from their successful spell together at Bayer Leverkusen. Sunderland’s response was instant and crystal clear: no chance. The English club are said to have viewed the bid as insulting, given the role the 33-year-old Swiss midfielder played last season.
The link between Alonso and Xhaka goes back to 2023, when the Swiss left Arsenal to join Bayer Leverkusen, convinced by the project laid out by the Basque coach. Under Alonso, Xhaka became the key man in a side that won the German title in dramatic fashion in the 2023-2024 season. After Alonso left for Real Madrid at the end of the following campaign, Xhaka moved on to Sunderland for 15 million euros, well above what Chelsea are now offering to buy him back.
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Xhaka shone at Sunderland, and Chelsea will have to come back with a better offer
At Sunderland, Xhaka quickly proved his worth. As club captain, he played a major part in the side’s stunning return to the Premier League, and the team finished in an excellent seventh place to seal a Europa League spot. It’s no surprise, then, that Sunderland have no intention of letting him go for a fee so far below their valuation.
Xhaka is currently at the World Cup with Switzerland, who face Algeria in the round of 32. Chelsea will have to wait, and more importantly, come back with a much bigger bid if Alonso is serious about reuniting with his former captain. The Blues’ first attempt in this saga has fallen flat, but the window has only just opened.
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