Sunderland insist Granit Xhaka is not for sale amid Chelsea talks

Granit Xhaka is under contract on Wearside until 2028, and Sunderland have told Chelsea he is not for sale. Chelsea are interested in the 33-year-old midfielder, who worked under incoming manager Xabi Alonso at Bayer Leverkusen.

Chelsea’s interest is built on a clear squad need. Alonso does not officially start until July 1, but the club’s new direction is already visible: more leadership, more experience and less reliance on a group whose average age is 23.8. Chelsea have not picked a player aged 30 or over in the last two seasons, a stark profile for a side now looking at a midfielder who has spent the past year giving Sunderland control, edge and structure.

Xhaka fit that brief immediately after arriving from Bayer Leverkusen last summer for about £13 million, or €20 million, following two seasons in Germany. He made 34 Premier League appearances, scored once and provided six assists, then captained Sunderland through a campaign that ended with European qualification. He already worked under Alonso at Leverkusen and won the Bundesliga in 2023-24.

Even so, the deal remains at an early stage. There has been no club-to-club contact, Sunderland would not welcome offers and the move remains exploratory rather than advanced. A verbal agreement has been claimed, but no personal terms have been officially confirmed.

The fee being discussed has been put in the €25 million to €30 million range, up from Sunderland’s outlay a year ago. But the club’s leverage is obvious: Xhaka is under a long contract, Sunderland do not need to sell, and Chelsea would be paying a premium for a 33-year-old whose value lies as much in leadership as in resale potential.

Xhaka himself has already sounded settled on Wearside. Earlier this month, he said he was happy and was “not even thinking about a transfer” ahead of the World Cup.