Sunderland midfielder Granit Xhaka has confirmed he rejected the opportunity to join Chelsea this summer to remain committed to the ongoing project at the Stadium of Light, according to his appearance on The Sports Agents podcast. The 33-year-old Switzerland captain was the subject of an £8 million bid from Stamford Bridge that was rejected by the Wearside club, as first reported by BBC Sport. Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso had been keen to reunite with the midfielder after the pair won the Bundesliga title together at Bayer Leverkusen in 2024, but Xhaka elected to stay with the Black Cats.
Speaking on The Sports Agents podcast, Xhaka explained his decision: "When I signed the contract here [Sunderland], there was a plan behind the scenes, and the plan was to stick to this project, to believe in this project, and to work for this project. And I always say to myself and to the people around, I didn't come here for one season. It's a big privilege that a football club like Chelsea want a player, nearly 34 years old."
Xhaka added: "When I spoke with the owner of Sunderland, I told him from the beginning, I don't have the feeling that this project is done yet, and this is my motivation. I want to enjoy the European football with this football club with the fans, and hopefully we can get more after this season."
Sunderland Project Convinces Captain to Stay
Xhaka joined Sunderland in 2025 from Bayer Leverkusen for a reported £17 million fee. He went on to make 34 Premier League appearances last season as head coach Régis Le Bris led the side to a seventh-place finish, securing European qualification. Under contract on Wearside until 2028, Sunderland had no financial pressure to sell, enabling them to dismiss Chelsea's initial £8 million approach.
Xhaka also spoke to the Daily Mail regarding his ongoing communication with Alonso, clarifying: "I spoke with Xabi. I speak with him nearly every day. With Xabi, with Mikel Arteta, with whoever. For me, to have this contact doesn’t mean the need to move somewhere."
Chelsea Pivot to Jordan Henderson
Following the collapsed pursuit of Xhaka, Chelsea turned to free agent Jordan Henderson, signing the 36-year-old on a two-year contract after his departure from Brentford. Henderson stated: "Given the size of the club, the manager [Xabi Alonso] who I have great admiration for, and the quality of the players, this was a huge opportunity I couldn't turn down."
