Xabi Alonso wants the band back together. Chelsea’s newly appointed manager has reportedly zeroed in on Granit Xhaka as a primary midfield target, looking to reunite with the Swiss international who was instrumental in Bayer Leverkusen’s historic Bundesliga title run.
The catch: Xhaka’s current club Sunderland just qualified for European competition, and the reported £25M price tag may not be enough to pry him loose. Alonso himself reportedly considers that figure too low for what Xhaka brings to the table.
Why Xhaka fits Alonso’s Chelsea blueprint
When Xhaka left Arsenal for Leverkusen in 2023, the move was widely seen as a career downshift. Instead, it became a career renaissance. Under Alonso’s tactical system, Xhaka transformed from a polarizing figure at the Emirates into the metronome of a title-winning midfield.
Chelsea’s broader strategy under Alonso appears to involve threading experienced heads through a squad that has leaned heavily on developing talent. Xhaka would serve as the connective tissue, someone who can set tempo, organize a press, and deliver the kind of dressing-room authority that doesn’t show up on a highlight reel but absolutely shows up in results.
