Chelsea ‘to target’ Granit Xhaka as earlier Sunderland comments resurface | OneFootball

Granit Xhaka’s recent insistence that he is not considering a move has taken on fresh relevance amid new claims linking the Sunderland captain with Chelsea.

Fabrizio Romano says Xhaka could be a surprise midfield option for Chelsea, while Florian Plettenberg reports a full verbal agreement on personal terms and that the London club have contacted Sunderland.

Sunderland Echo understands the Black Cats would not welcome offers for Xhaka and regard him as not for sale, with the midfielder under contract until 2028 after arriving from Bayer Leverkusen last summer.

“To be honest, I’m not surprised,” he told Blick earlier this month. “The move from [Bayer] Leverkusen to Sunderland wasn’t a snap decision. I had a lot of discussions with the owner, sporting director, and manager before I signed.”

“For me, the most important thing is that my family is happy. And we are in Sunderland. I’m not even thinking about a transfer.”

Xhaka has been pivotal on Wearside, captaining Régis Le Bris’ side and helping secure seventh place and Europa League qualification in their first season back in the Premier League.

Source: Sunderland Echo