Chelsea are in advanced talks to sign Sunderland captain Granit Xhaka, with transfer insider Fabrizio Romano confirming the Blues are in contact with the Black Cats over a shock summer move for the Switzerland international.
Sky Germany journalist Florian Plettenberg has gone further, reporting that Xhaka and Chelsea have already reached a "full verbal agreement" over a transfer, with personal terms fully agreed. Club-to-club negotiations are now under way.
The move is being driven entirely by new Chelsea head coach Xabi Alonso, who is set to officially take charge at Stamford Bridge on July 1.
Alonso knows Xhaka intimately from their historic unbeaten Bundesliga-winning campaign together at Bayer Leverkusen in 2023-24, where the Swiss midfielder served as his on-field general.
According to Plettenberg, Alonso made it clear internally from the very start of his Chelsea tenure that Xhaka was a priority target.
The 33-year-old is said to have expressed a desire to return to London and is willing to accept any contract conditions in order to reunite with the Spaniard at Stamford Bridge.
Journalist Luca Cerchione has reported that Chelsea have submitted a bid in the region of €30 million for Xhaka, representing a fee roughly double the £17.3 million Sunderland paid Bayer Leverkusen to sign him last summer.
Sunderland, however, are expected to resist firmly. The Sunderland Echo understands the Black Cats consider Xhaka very much not for sale, with Sky Sports also reporting there has been no formal contact between the clubs as of Friday.
Xhaka still has two years remaining on the three-year deal he signed when joining from Leverkusen.
The Black Cats have strong leverage.
Xhaka was their standout performer last season, contributing one goal and six assists in 34 Premier League appearances as Sunderland stunned the division with a seventh-place finish and a historic qualification for the Europa League, a competition Regis Le Bris' side will play in next season, while Chelsea will not.
Xhaka was voted Sunderland's Player of the Season and quickly became a cult figure on Wearside. Speaking to Swiss outlet Blick earlier this month, he appeared unequivocal about his future: "I'm not even thinking about a transfer.
I'm really happy to finally have a summer without any speculation about my future."
That statement now looks likely to be tested.
Xhaka is currently away with Switzerland at the 2026 World Cup, and the lure of working under Alonso once more, combined with a return to London, where he spent eight years with Arsenal, makes this a transfer situation that could develop quickly once the tournament concludes.
