FOOTBALL
By Eishna Rawat
Posted on July 29, 2026 10:00 pm | Updated on July 29, 2026 2:51 pm Sunderland has firmly rejected Chelsea’s approach, confirming Granit Xhaka will stay at the club this summer.
Chelsea
CHELSEA
Full name: Chelsea Football Club Nickname: The Blues Founded: 10 March 1905 Ground: Stamford Bridge Owner: BlueCo Chairman: Todd Boehly Manager: Xabi Alonso League: Premier League Season 2025-26: 10th position Website: chelseafc.com Chelsea Football Club is one of the most… Read More about CHELSEA
As per the latest news, the Chelsea pursuit of Granit Xhaka has been firmly ruled out this summer. Sunderland boss Régis Le Bris has ruled out any reunion with new manager Xabi Alonso, ending weeks of transfer talk.
Granit Xhaka Transfer Case Firmly Closed
Le Bris made his stance clear following a 4-2 friendly loss to Liverpool in Nashville. He ruled out any chance of Granit Xhaka joining the Blues this summer. As reported by The Guardian, Chelsea had already submitted an £8m offer for the 33-year-old midfielder this month. However, Sunderland turned down the bid almost right away. The Swiss international has become a key figure for the club since his move last year.
Le Bris was direct in his response. “No, this topic is closed. He has been really clear about his future,” he said, as reported by The Guardian. He added that the midfielder is fully committed to Sunderland, is keen to build his future at the club, and remains a respected leader in the squad. Those words leave little room for doubt, and they appear to settle the matter.
Xabi Alonso wanted to work with his former Bayer Leverkusen captain again at Chelsea. Alonso managed the 33-year-old during their successful spell together in Germany. Even so, Sunderland stood firm from the start. The west London club is now expected to look elsewhere for midfield reinforcements this football transfer window.
Why Sunderland Refuse To Sell Their Captain
Sunderland do not want to sell their captain, and the reasons are clear. As reported by ESPN, Granit Xhaka arrived from Leverkusen last year in a deal worth around £17m. Since then, he has anchored the midfield and led by example on and off the pitch. His energy and experience have made a real difference in games. He also helped the club finish seventh, which secured a Europa League spot.
There is also a contract to think about. As reported by GOAL, Granit Xhaka is tied to Sunderland until 2028, so the club feels no pressure to sell. Le Bris has praised his leadership more than once, calling him a great captain who understands the job. That kind of presence is hard to replace once a demanding European football campaign begins.
On top of that, business has been slow at the club this summer, with Belgian defender Thomas Meunier the only arrival, joining on a free from Lille. As reported by ESPN, the team prefers to work behind the scenes rather than repeat last year’s busy rebuild, in which 14 new players arrived at once.
Granit Xhaka Stats And What Lies Ahead
As reported by beIN Sports, the midfielder made 34 Premier League appearances last season. He scored one goal and set up six assists, level with teammate Enzo Le Fée. He also topped the charts for touches and successful passes at the Black Cats, showing just how important he had become.
Granit Xhaka for Sunderland in 2025/26, as per FOTMOB:
Competitions Matches Goals Assists Successful passes Accurate Long Balls
Premier League 34 1 6 1512 138
FA Cup 2 0 0 121 10
With Granit Xhaka staying put, Chelsea are said to be turning their focus elsewhere. Reports link the club to Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister, though no formal talks have taken place yet. As reported by GOAL, Chelsea have accepted Sunderland’s decision and do not plan to reopen talks before the window closes.
For now, the situation appears settled at Sunderland. The coaching staff seems confident they made the right call. Even so, Chelsea’s recruitment team have already moved on, with focus shifting toward fresh targets for the September window.
Read More: Benji Flowers, 15, breaks Dallas record as Chelsea agrees deal
Also Read: Kerim Alajbegovic: Chelsea lead race for £30m wonderkid
Read Next: Jamie Gittens: ‘Xabi Alonso is one of the best’ amid Chelsea revival
Follow the latest updates from Premier League, La Liga and Champions League, or explore more Football stories, Football Teams & All Football Competitions . Follow more updates on CHELSEA. You can also check Latest Sports News or visit Six Sports for more Football updates.
Eishna Rawat
Mentioned in this Article