Xhaka rejects Chelsea move to stay at Sunderland and lead Europa League push

Granit Xhaka has turned down the chance to join Chelsea, choosing instead to remain at Sunderland as the newly promoted club prepares for European football next season. The 33-year-old Switzerland international had been linked with a reunion with Xabi Alonso, who recently took charge at Stamford Bridge, but has now committed his future to the Stadium of Light.

Chelsea had submitted an opening bid of £8 million for the midfielder, which Sunderland flatly rejected, insisting Xhaka was not for sale. Reports had suggested Xhaka had agreed personal terms with the Blues, but he has since reversed course — with his deep connection to the Sunderland fanbase understood to have been the decisive factor.

Xhaka arrived on Wearside last summer from Bayer Leverkusen, where he had won the Bundesliga title and DFB Pokal under Alonso, in a deal worth £17.5 million. He was immediately handed the captaincy by manager Regis Le Bris and quickly established himself as a fan favourite, anchoring the midfield as newly promoted Sunderland finished seventh in the Premier League and secured a place in the Europa League.

The former Arsenal midfielder has spoken openly about how settled he feels in the north-east of England. “It’s a bit like home for me,” Xhaka told Swiss outlet Blick. “The city feels like Basel. Like the St. Johann district where I grew up. You can only perform at your best when you feel comfortable in a place. For me, the most important thing is that my family is happy. And we are in Sunderland.”

In the same interview, conducted before the World Cup, Xhaka had already indicated that a transfer was not on his radar. “I’m not even thinking about a transfer,” he said. “I’m really happy to finally have a summer without any speculation about my future. That’s rarely been the case in recent years. This allows me to fully focus on the World Cup.”

Xhaka is currently representing Switzerland at the 2026 World Cup in North America. After an opening 1-1 draw with Qatar, Switzerland have won three consecutive games, most recently beating Algeria 2-0 to advance to the round of 16. Murat Yakin’s side face the winner of Colombia vs Ghana on Tuesday in Vancouver.