Sunderland Football Club has rejected an £8 million bid from Chelsea for midfielder Granit Xhaka, making it clear the Swiss international is not available for transfer at any valuation.
The offer, reported by the New York Times and the BBC, was made under the guidance of new Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso.
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Sunderland deemed the proposal unacceptable and disrespectful to both the player and the club, stating that no further bids would be entertained.
Contract and Recent Performance
Xhaka remains under contract with Sunderland until June 2028 after joining from Bayer Leverkusen for £17.5 million last summer.
He captained the team to an unexpected seventh-place finish last season, securing Europa League qualification by defeating Chelsea on the final day.
The 33-year-old, who turns 34 in September, was instrumental in Sunderland's success, providing leadership and experience in midfield.
Shift in Chelsea's Transfer Strategy
The pursuit of Xhaka marks a significant departure from Chelsea's recent recruitment approach under the Todd Boehly-Clearlake consortium.
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Over the past two seasons, Chelsea fielded the youngest squad in the Premier League and avoided signing players aged 30 or older.
Co-controlling owner Behdad Eghbali and club leadership reportedly acknowledge the need for veteran presence to address a lack of dressing-room leadership.
The oldest signing under current ownership had been Kalidou Koulibaly, who arrived at age 31 in 2022 and was sold a year later.
While Chelsea has targeted younger profiles like 21-year-old Marco Palestra, Xhaka represents an unprecedented age bracket for the Stamford Bridge administration.
The club is also preparing for a potential midfield vacancy as Argentina international Enzo Fernandez is expected to move to Real Madrid this summer.
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Although Chelsea has not received an official approach and values Fernandez at £120 million, Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho reportedly supports the transfer.
