Sunderland captain Granit Xhaka was in talks to reunite with former Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso at Chelsea after his initial bid of £8m was rejected.
Granit Xhaka will not join Chelsea (Image: MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Granit Xhaka’s move to Chelsea has been called off after the Sunderland captain decided to make a U-turn and remain at the Stadium of Light. Xhaka, 33, is reportedly interested in reuniting with former Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso, who recently joined Chelsea, and has agreed personal terms with the Blues.
The midfielder is currently representing Switzerland at the World Cup, helping them reach the last 16 with a 2-0 win over Algeria on Friday. But on the other side of the pond, Chelsea made an £8m bid for his exploits.
Sunderland flatly rejected the offer, insisting that Xhaka was not for sale. Now they no longer have to worry about his departure.
According to Sky Sports, Xhaka is determined to remain at Sunderland and help them qualify for the Europa League next season. The former Arsenal star’s relationship with Sunderland’s fan base is understood to have played a big role in his decision.
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Xhaka joined Wearside from Leverkusen last summer and won the Bundesliga title and the DFB Cup under Alonso. The £17.5m signing was quickly appointed club captain by Regis Le Bris and it didn’t take long for him to become a fan favorite.
Xhaka played a central role in midfield and led newly promoted Sunderland to a seventh-place finish in the Premier League, qualifying for Europe. The 33-year-old described the city as his “second home”.
“This is a bit of a home for me,” Xhaka told Swiss outlet Blick. “This city is similar to Basel, similar to the St. Johann district where I grew up.
“You can only perform at your best when you feel comfortable where you are. The most important thing for me is that my family is happy and here we are at Sunderland.”
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Granit Xhaka and Switzerland advance to the last 16 of the World Cup (Image: Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
In the same interview before the World Cup, he declared that he was not considering a move. “I’m not thinking about transferring at all,” Xhaka continued.
“I’m really happy to finally be able to spend the summer without any speculation about my future, which has rarely happened in recent years. It allows me to fully concentrate on the World Cup.”
Switzerland have won their last three matches since a shocking 1-1 draw with weak Qatar in their World Cup opener. Coach Murat Yakin’s team will face the winner of the last-16 match between Colombia and Ghana in Vancouver on Tuesday.
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