Full Breakdown
Sunderland Rejects Chelsea’s £8 million Offer for Granit Xhaka
6/29/2026, 1:34:48 PM
The Rejection: £8 million Bid Turned Down
Chelsea submitted an £8 million proposal to sign Swiss midfielder Granit Xhaka from Sunderland. The Black Cats responded by refusing the offer, describing it as disrespectful and stating they would not entertain any further approach that disregards the player’s contractual status.
Background: Xhaka’s Role at Sunderland and Past Success with Xabi Alonso
Xhaka joined Sunderland last summer on a three-year contract and helped the club secure Europa League qualification after promotion to the Premier League. He has two years remaining on his deal and will turn 34 in September. Earlier in his career, Xhaka played under Xabi Alonso at Bayer Leverkusen, contributing to an unbeaten Bundesliga title, a DFB-Pokal win and a Europa League final appearance.
Key Figures and Groups
- Granit Xhaka – Swiss international midfielder, former Arsenal and Bayer Leverkusen player.
- Xabi Alonso – Chelsea’s incoming manager, previously Xhaka’s coach at Leverkusen.
- Sunderland AFC – Premier League club, current holder of Xhaka’s registration.
- Chelsea FC – Premier League club seeking to add leadership to its midfield.
Financial and Contractual Details
- Bid amount: £8 million.
- Contract length: Xhaka signed a three-year deal with Sunderland in 2024, leaving two years on the contract.
- Age: 33, turning 34 in September 2026.
Sunderland maintains that the fee is “well-wide of the mark” and that Xhaka is not for sale at any price this summer.
Sunderland’s Official Response
The club emphasized that the contractual position must be respected by all parties and affirmed it has “no intention of sanctioning” a transfer. Sunderland’s statement underscored the club’s resolve to retain Xhaka and reject offers it deems disrespectful.
Criticism of the Offer
Sunderland’s officials labeled the £8 million proposal as “disrespectful” and argued it undervalues a player who was instrumental in the club’s recent European qualification. The club’s stance suggests that any future bid would need to reflect Xhaka’s contractual value and on-field contributions.
Verbatim Quotes
- “the contractual position should be respected by all parties” — Sunderland spokesperson
- “no intention of sanctioning” a transfer. — Sunderland spokesperson
- “He is not a coach that is looking out for the names or status of players, in terms of who is older or younger, or who has played more games. ?” — Granit Xhaka
- “? "During the week, he is thinking about who deserves to play at the weekend because they are training well.” — Granit Xhaka
- “I think to manage this is so difficult because you have different types of characters and nationalities, different languages. ?” — Granit Xhaka
- “? "But he has this experience as a player to give confidence to everyone.” — Granit Xhaka
Impact on Chelsea’s Summer Plans
With Sunderland’s firm refusal, Chelsea may need to reassess its midfield recruitment strategy. The club has already seen Marc Cucurella depart for Real Madrid and is linked with other targets, indicating a broader reshuffle of its squad ahead of the new season.
What’s Next
Sunderland is expected to keep Xhaka for the upcoming campaign, while Chelsea could either increase its offer or pursue alternative midfield options. Both clubs have indicated that any further negotiations will hinge on respecting contractual terms and presenting a valuation Sunderland deems appropriate.
