Granit Xhaka wants to play for Chelsea. The 33-year-old Sunderland midfielder is reportedly willing to accept the personal terms Chelsea have put on the table, setting up a potential reunion with Xabi Alonso, the man who coached him at Bayer Leverkusen.
There’s just one problem. Sunderland doesn’t want to sell him.
The deal that doesn’t exist yet
Xhaka may be ready to sign on Chelsea’s dotted line, but Sunderland holds a contract that runs until 2028 and has publicly declared the midfielder is not for sale. The club signed Xhaka from Bayer Leverkusen in July 2025 for an initial fee of £13M, with add-ons that could push the total to £17.3M. He currently earns approximately £5.72M annually.
Sunderland qualified for the Europa League in 2025-26, finishing above Chelsea in the process. Initial discussions between Chelsea and Xhaka’s camp are reportedly underway, but no confirmed deal exists.
