Chelsea eyes Granit Xhaka as Xabi Alonso pushes reunion

Chelsea have entered personal talks with Swiss midfielder Granit Xhaka, 33, as the Premier League club seeks to reunite him with former Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso, according to transfer journalist Florian Plettenberg. The discussions were described as personal and are taking place on Saturday evening. Both clubs have been in contact, and Sunderland and Chelsea still need to reach an agreement over the midfielder’s move. The two English sides are the only parties mentioned in the negotiation process. Xabi Alonso wants to work again with Xhaka, who was under his tutelage at Bayer Leverkusen. The duo previously won the German league title, cup and Supercup together. Granit Xhaka, a left‑footed Swiss international, joined Sunderland last summer for fifteen million euros from Arsenal, the club often referred to as the Werkself. The transfer fee was disclosed in the report.

Chelsea chase Sunderland midfielder Xhaka as Alonso pushes for deal

At Sunderland, the Black Cats immediately appointed Xhaka as captain. He became a key figure in the team coached by Régis Le Bris and was later named Player of the Year. Xhaka, a 149‑cap Swiss international who reached the World Cup round of 16, remains under contract with Sunderland until mid‑2028. Neither Sunderland’s asking price nor Chelsea’s current budget for the player were disclosed. The German branch of Sky Sport broke the story on Saturday evening. The report highlighted the personal nature of Xhaka’s talks with the Blues. Chelsea’s next steps will depend on the outcome of negotiations with Sunderland.