Florent Ghisolfi on big sales as Granit Xhaka ‘to join’ Chelsea reports surface | OneFootball

Florent Ghisolfi’s summer stance on big Sunderland sales takes on fresh relevance as Granit Xhaka is linked with Chelsea, with Fabrizio Romano saying the captain could be a surprise signing and another report indicating personal terms are already in place.

Sunderland Echo understands Sunderland would not welcome bids, Xhaka is viewed as not for sale and the club are under no pressure to sell, with the midfielder contracted until 2028 after joining from Bayer Leverkusen last year.

Ghisolfi has said he is never afraid to approve a major sale if a deal suits the club, though his priority is to keep the squad together. He wants to retain Premier League experience and every starter, trusting recruitment to replace any exit.

Those remarks were not about Xhaka specifically, yet they frame links over his future. He is a leader in Régis Le Bris’ squad and central to Sunderland’s assured Premier League return, which yielded seventh place and Europa League qualification.

The stance remains firm. Sunderland can offer European football next season, while Chelsea cannot. Even so, PSR, SCR and UEFA squad cost rules mean any major fee for a player who turns 34 next year would provoke a financial discussion.

Explaining his philosophy, Ghisolfi has cited Lens, where Loic Bade arrived on a free and was sold after one season for €20million, then replaced by Kevin Danso for €five million. Danso is now at Tottenham and has been talked about as a £25million player, though Ghisolfi accepts such outcomes are not guaranteed.

Source: Sunderland Echo