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Granit Xhaka to Chelsea

This move fell through. Last report: Fabrizio Romano, 4 July 2026.

The Granit Xhaka to Chelsea deal is dead. Sunderland have told Chelsea in unambiguous terms that the 33-year-old Swiss midfielder is not for sale, not at any price, not under any conditions, and crucially, Xhaka himself has now backed that position. After fresh conversations with the Black Cats' hierarchy, Xhaka has withdrawn any desire to push for a move, with leading Sunderland into European football apparently outweighing the appeal of working under Xabi Alonso at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea's multiple attempts, all rejected, have been formally closed off. The sourcing here is about as solid as it gets. Sky Sports News confirmed Xhaka's commitment exclusively, Fabrizio Romano reported Sunderland's definitive position, Dharmesh Sheth laid out the player's own thinking, and Nizaar Kinsella added that the club considers the situation finished. Ben Jacobs and Graeme Bailey corroborated via TEAMtalk and CBS respectively. This is not a single voice, it is a broad, credible chorus all singing from the same sheet. This move is a long shot in name only; in reality it has collapsed. Chelsea lodged at least six approaches at around £8m, each rejected. Sunderland's position was never about the fee, it was never about anything Chelsea could alter. Without Xhaka agitating for an exit, there is no lever left for Chelsea to pull. For context on the market, Sunderland sold a player to Brighton for £10m in 2025, a reminder that the club does do business, but only on their own terms and timeline, not under pressure. The only thing to monitor now is whether Chelsea pivot entirely to an alterna

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