Chelsea have entered discussions with Sunderland and Granit Xhaka’s representatives over a possible transfer for the 33-year-old Switzerland international midfielder. The talks come ahead of Xabi Alonso officially taking charge as Chelsea manager on July 1, with Alonso having previously managed Xhaka during their Bundesliga-winning spell at Bayer Leverkusen in 2024 [1, 2, 3].
Xhaka, who is contracted to Sunderland until 2028, played a key role in the club’s strong 2025-26 campaign. His contributions helped Sunderland secure a seventh-place finish in the Premier League and qualify for European competition next season [1, 4, 3]. Sunderland paid around €20 million (£17.2m) to sign Xhaka, reflecting his value to the team [2].
Despite Chelsea’s interest, Sunderland have stated their intent to keep the midfielder and are reluctant to sell at this stage [1, 4]. Chelsea’s typical squad policy has focused on younger players under 30, so signing Xhaka—who will turn 34 in September—would mark a significant departure for the club [1, 2, 3]. However, Xhaka is reportedly open to reuniting with Alonso at Stamford Bridge [1, 2].
Chelsea are also close to signing right-back Marco Palestra from Atalanta as they reshape their squad for the upcoming season [1, 4, 3]. The club is reviewing the futures of several players including Trevoh Chalobah—who has attracted a rejected £22 million plus add-ons offer from Italian club Como—and Alejandro Garnacho [1, 4, 2].
Midfielder Enzo Fernández remains a valued player in Chelsea’s plans, although Real Madrid has shown interest and no formal bids have been received [1, 4, 3]. Chelsea’s co-controlling owner Behdad Eghbali acknowledged the need for recruitment adjustments to improve the squad [1].
Negotiations over Xhaka are ongoing as Chelsea prepare for Alonso’s inaugural season. The club’s next steps will likely be defined in the coming weeks with Alonso’s official start date set for July 1 [1, 2].
