Chelsea are expected to resume negotiations with Sunderland this week as they attempt to complete a move for Granit Xhaka.
The experienced midfielder has reportedly made it clear that he wants to reunite with Xabi Alonso at Stamford Bridge, although convincing Sunderland to sanction the transfer remains a significant challenge.
The Blues have already seen an initial £8 million bid rejected, with Sunderland viewing the offer as well below the player’s valuation. The Black Cats are understood to be frustrated by Chelsea’s opening approach, believing it undervalues a player who remains their captain and one of the driving forces behind their impressive Premier League campaign.
Sunderland invested significantly to bring Xhaka back to England only last summer, and with two years remaining on his contract, the club are under no financial pressure to sell. Despite the setback, Chelsea have not backed away.
Florian Plettenberg via X suggests fresh discussions between senior officials from both clubs are scheduled, while personal terms are already believed to have been agreed with the Swiss international. Xhaka is understood to be willing to remain patient throughout negotiations out of respect for Sunderland, but his preference to work with Alonso again is becoming increasingly clear.
The connection between player and manager is well established. During their time together at Bayer Leverkusen, Xhaka became one of the key figures in the club’s historic Bundesliga-winning campaign, establishing himself as the leader of Alonso’s midfield.
Why Xabi Alonso believes Granit Xhaka is the missing piece in Chelsea’s midfield
From a tactical perspective, Xhaka offers qualities Chelsea’s youthful midfield currently lacks. While the squad possesses athleticism, technical ability, and energy, it does not consistently have a player capable of controlling tempo, organising teammates, and dictating possession under pressure.
The veteran midfielder’s biggest strength lies in his positional intelligence. Rather than relying on pace, he manipulates games through his passing range, decision-making, and ability to control rhythm. Under Alonso at Leverkusen, he acted as the team’s deep orchestrator, regularly progressing possession into advanced areas while maintaining defensive balance.
His leadership is another major attraction. Chelsea have assembled one of the youngest squads in the Premier League, and Alonso is believed to value Xhaka’s experience just as highly as his footballing ability. His communication, tactical discipline, and winning mentality could help accelerate the development of several younger midfielders.
From Sunderland’s perspective, however, losing their captain would represent a huge setback. Xhaka’s influence extends well beyond performances on the pitch, making it understandable why the club are digging in their heels. Signed from Leverkusen for €20 million a year ago, Xhaka has proven to be worth his weight in gold at the Stadium of Light.
Should Chelsea keep pushing?
This transfer makes perfect sense from Alonso’s point of view. Xhaka already understands his tactical philosophy and could become an on-field extension of the manager during Chelsea’s transition into a new system.
The bigger question is whether Sunderland can be persuaded to sell. If the Blues genuinely believe Xhaka can accelerate the team’s development, increasing their offer may prove far cheaper than spending another season searching for leadership they currently lack.
