Chelsea are in advanced talks to sign Sunderland captain Granit Xhaka and transfer boss Fabrizio Romano has confirmed the Blues are in contact with the Black Cats over a shock summer move for the Switzerland international.
Sky Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg has gone further, reporting that Xhaka and Chelsea have already reached a “full verbal agreement” over a transfer, with personal terms fully agreed. Club-to-club negotiations are underway.
The move is being led entirely by new Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso, who will officially take over at Stamford Bridge on July 1.
Alonso knows Xhaka intimately from their historic unbeaten Bundesliga-winning campaign together at Bayer Leverkusen in 2023-24, where the Swiss midfielder served as general on the pitch.
According to Plettenberg, Alonso made it clear internally from the start of his tenure at Chelsea that Xhaka was a priority target.
The 33-year-old is said to have expressed his desire to return to London and is willing to accept any contract terms to reunite with the Spaniard at Stamford Bridge.
Journalist Luca Cerchione has reported that Chelsea have tabled a bid of around €30m for Xhaka, which represents a fee roughly double the £17.3m Sunderland paid Bayer Leverkusen to sign him last summer.
However, Sunderland will be expected to hold firm. The Sunderland Echo understands that the Black Cats consider Xhaka not for sale, with Sky Sports also reporting that there has been no formal contact between the clubs as of Friday.
Xhaka still has two years left on the three-year deal he signed when he joined from Leverkusen.
Black cats have a strong influence.
Xhaka was at his best last season, contributing one goal and six assists in 34 Premier League appearances as Sunderland stunned the division with a seventh-placed and historic qualification for the Europa League, a competition that Regis Le Bris’ side will play in next season, while Chelsea will not.
Xhaka was voted Sunderland’s Player of the Season and quickly became a cult figure on Wearside. Speaking to Swiss channel Blick earlier this month, he seemed unequivocal about his future: “I’m not even thinking about a transfer.
I’m very happy to finally have a summer without any speculation about my future.”
Now it looks like that claim will be put to the test.
Xhaka is currently away with Switzerland at the 2026 World Cup, and the lure of working with Alonso once again, combined with a return to London, where he spent eight years at Arsenal, make this a transfer situation that could quickly develop once the tournament concludes.
