Sunderland reject Chelsea's £8m bid for Xhaka and insist midfielder is not for sale

Sunderland have rejected an £8 million bid from Chelsea for Granit Xhaka and made clear to the Premier League club that the Switzerland international will not leave this summer at any price.

Xhaka has emerged as a priority target for Chelsea’s incoming manager Xabi Alonso, who worked closely with the 32-year-old at Bayer Leverkusen. Xhaka was a central figure in the Leverkusen side that Alonso guided to the Bundesliga title in 2024, and the Spaniard is understood to be keen to reunite with him at Stamford Bridge.

According to The Athletic, Sunderland have dismissed Chelsea’s opening offer as “unacceptable” and gone a step further by informing the Blues that Xhaka is simply not available, regardless of the fee. The Championship club’s firm stance complicates Chelsea’s pursuit significantly.

The situation is made more intriguing by reports that Xhaka has already agreed personal terms with Chelsea. If accurate, that would leave the former Arsenal captain in a difficult position, having reached an agreement with a club that his current employer has no intention of selling him to.

Xhaka joined Sunderland ahead of the 2024-25 season following his departure from Leverkusen, and the club appear determined to build around him as they push for a return to the Premier League. Whether Chelsea return with an improved offer — or whether Sunderland’s position softens — remains to be seen.