Sunderland's £8m rebuff forces Chelsea to rethink midfield overhaul

Sunderland have turned down Chelsea's £8 million offer for Swiss midfielder Granit Xhaka, the 33‑year‑old who is under contract until 2028 after his £17 million move from Bayer Leverkusen, and who helped the Wearside club finish seventh in the Premier League.

Xhaka featured in 34 league matches, missing only four, and captained manager Regis Le Bris' side to the seventh‑place finish. His leadership was credited with Sunderland’s qualification for the Europa League on the final day of the season. The club, with no financial pressure, says it has no intention of selling the player.

Chelsea’s interest centres on reuniting Xhaka with former manager Xabi Alonso, with whom he won the Bundesliga at Bayer Leverkusen in 2024. Signing a 34‑year‑old would mark a radical shift from Chelsea’s recent policy of fielding the youngest squad and avoiding players over 30. Club co‑controlling owner Behdad Eghbali has acknowledged the need for adjustments after criticism over leadership and dressing‑room culture.

Retaining Xhaka means Sunderland can continue to build on their European qualification and maintain a seasoned presence in midfield. For Chelsea, the rebuff forces the club to explore alternative targets, including Atalanta right‑back Marco Palestra, while several young prospects such as Alejandro Garnacho and Liam Delap face uncertain futures.

Chelsea’s summer agenda also involves monitoring Enzo Fernandez, valued at around £120 million, amid speculation of a Real Madrid move supported by president Florentino Perez and manager Jose Mourinho, and coping with the recent departure of defender Marc Cucurella to Real Madrid.