Sunderland reject Chelsea’s opening offer for Granit Xhaka

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·29 June 2026

Sunderland reject Chelsea’s opening offer for Granit Xhaka

Sunderland have rejected Chelsea’s opening offer for Granit Xhaka.

The Athletic first reported the offer at eight million pounds, under half what Sunderland paid to sign him from Bayer Leverkusen last summer. The club have insisted since the weekend that they are under no financial pressure to sell and that the midfielder is not for sale.

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Chelsea believe the fee is fair for a player of his age, but it would take a significantly improved bid to test Sunderland’s stance.

Xhaka is believed to be open to a move to Stamford Bridge, where he would be reunited with head coach Xabi Alonso. The pair won the league and cup double at Bayer Leverkusen.

Given that position, discussions are likely to continue, although a sizeable gap remains between the clubs at this stage.

Source: Sunderland Echo