Sunderland v Chelsea FC - Premier League 2026/27
Photo by Lee Parker – CameraSport via Getty Images
Cole Palmer of Chelsea reacts during the Premier League 2026/27 match between Sunderland and Chelsea FC at Stadium of Light
Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images
Sunderland's Brian Brobbey holds off the challenge from Chelsea's Levi Colwill
Photo by Lee Parker – CameraSport via Getty Images
Sunderland v Chelsea FC - Premier League 2026/27
Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images
Levi Colwill of Chelsea
Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images
Chelsea FC Training and Press Conference
Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
Xabi Alonso manager / head coach of Chelsea celebrates with Moises Caicedo and Levi Colwill
Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images
How close Chelsea came to signing Granit Xhaka, as Xabi Alonso plots Sunderland revenge
Granit Xhaka and Xabi Alonso
Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images
It’s the start of the summer window and Xabi Alonso has identified the need for experience. He decides he needs to reunite with Granit Xhaka, but how close did a move come to materialising?
Xhaka has just enjoyed a brilliant season with Sunderland, orchestrating and captaining their stunning first year back in the Premier League; the driving force behind Regis Le Bris’ push into European football.
Chelsea ended up signing Jordan Henderson, Danny Welbeck and Emi Martinez to provide the club with some older heads, ones able to tutor the younger stars. Welbeck is keeping Morgan Rogers on his toes.
But Xhaka was the first one Chelsea targeted, as Alonso looked to reunite with the midfield force crucial to the unbeaten season he enjoyed at Bayer Leverkusen. Sunderland, though, recognised his importance.
READ MORE:Steven Gerrard thinks there is something ‘brewing’ between Palmer and Tuchel
Why Xhaka didn’t join Chelsea in the summer
Chelsea made an £8m bid for Xhaka at the start of July. An offer that was deemed ridiculously low by the Black Cats, who rejected it out of hand. A fee between £10m and £15m was expected to get a deal done.
Amid the talks over a fee, Xhaka refused to rule out a move while with Switzerland at the World Cup: “That’s not my job. That’s what I have my management for. I want to concentrate fully on the World Cup.”
But Sunderland held firm. They had European football to offer Xhaka, and the former Arsenal man stayed loyal even if Chelsea had clearly tempted him. In September, Xhaka spoke about the offer from Chelsea.
Who do you prefer, Jordan Henderson or Granit Xhaka?
Might as well close the academy now, just being used to sell youngsters for pure profit. Josh will probably be next out of the door and you can't blame him.
Neither!
Looking at those stats it has to be Xhaka, however, as he was not available Henderson is a more than capable replacement nd has much, if not more, experience which is the main factor that Alonso was looking for
“When I spoke with the owner of Sunderland, I told him from the beginning, I don’t have the feeling that this project is done yet. And this is my motivation,” Xhaka said after the transfer window had closed.
“That’s why they took me here, and that’s why I’m still here to get to the next step. I want to enjoy the European football with this football club, with the fans, and hopefully we can get more after this season.”
Instead, Chelsea signed Henderson and the England veteran has been magnificent. The chances are that he starts today alongside Romeo Lavia, even if Moises Caicedo is fit enough to be on the Blues bench.
Xhaka is not the only Sunderland player to be linked with Chelsea
Before the window had even opened, Chelsea wanted to sign a goalkeeper. That changed initially under Alonso, who made Robert Sanchez his no.1, before the Spaniard’s horror show in the win over Fulham.
Sanchez was shipped out to Como and Martinez came in, with Mike Penders his understudy. But before that, Chelsea were strongly linked with Robin Roefs – a bargain £9m signing, now valued at a huge £50m.
Back in 2024, Sunderland youngster Chris Rigg was a target for the Blues, but nothing came to fruition. Now, Chelsea will be looking to exact revenge after it was Sunderland who denied them Europe last term.