Sunderland captain Granit Xhaka (Image: Annabel Lee-Ellis)
Sunderland captain Granit Xhaka (Image: Annabel Lee-Ellis)
XABI Alonso has fond memories of his time with Granit Xhaka at Bayer Leverkusen - but rejected suggestions it was the Sunderland captain who made a key season-changing tactical suggestion in Germany.
Alonso is set for a reunion with Xhaka on Sunday when Sunderland host Chelsea, with the Londoners having failed in a summer effort to lure the midfielder to Stamford Bridge.
Xhaka was a key component of Alonso's Leverkusen team that won the Bundesliga in 2024.
The 34-year-old said in a recent interview that he had made a key tactical proposal to Alonso to switch to a back three early in the title-winning season.
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The three-man central defence was pivotal to the team going unbeaten in the league but the Spaniard denied the idea came from Xhaka.
“Not really accurate,” he said. “But for sure we spoke a lot in that time. He was a key part of that team. He glued many pieces together in the middle and with the back three. It was a very good time together.”
Having failed to land Xhaka in the summer, Chelsea instead turned to former Sunderland midfielder Jordan Henderson, but it's unclear whether the 36-year-old will start on Sunday having only recently recovered from illness.
Alonso believes Romeo Lavia is key to the long-term stability of Chelsea’s midfield after the 22-year-old made his most consistent start to a season since moving to Stamford Bridge.
The Belgium international is already almost halfway to equalling his highest number of Premier League appearances for the club in a single campaign and recently completed 90 minutes for the first time, more than three years after joining.
That came in the recent Carabao Cup exit to Liverpool at Anfield and it was followed up with a first full game in the league against Manchester United last Saturday.
“I have always the feeling that whenever the midfield works, the team works better,” said Alonso.
“Romeo is in a very good place, not just the last game but for the last month. He’s very consistent in his performances. He’s been very important for the team.”
Lavia moved to west London from Southampton for £58million after turning down Liverpool but played only 45 minutes during a debut season that was wrecked by injury.
He played 28 times in the league over the two seasons that followed but only since the arrival of Alonso has he been a regular starter in midfield.
He has formed an effective partnership with Moises Caicedo, whose absence during the first two months of the season was keenly felt, with Chelsea struggling badly for control in midfield and conceding 15 times in their first seven matches.
Lavia is likely to stay in the side for Sunday’s game with Reece James injured.
“He’s good with the ball, he brings good balance, he’s connecting very well with the players around with through balls,” said Alonso.
“We need to push him, to help him continue in that. It’s not enough, he can take the next step. It’s not rocket sincere to know that once you have good midfielders, it normally looks better.”
Of the player’s improved fitness this campaign, Alonso said: “There’s been a change. He knows that, he has realised.”