Chelsea Show Interest In Granit Xhaka Reunion With Xabi Alonso

What happened:

Watch the highlights:

The Guardian reports that Chelsea are interested in signing Granit Xhaka from Sunderland, in a move that would reunite the midfielder with Xabi Alonso. The report says Xhaka was a key player for Alonso at Bayer Leverkusen and that he currently has two years left on his Sunderland deal. It also states that Sunderland want to keep him.

What changed:

This is not a completed transfer. The important wording is interest, not agreement. Chelsea’s position, as described by the source, is exploratory enough to matter but not advanced enough to treat as a done deal. Sunderland’s stance is also significant: they want to retain a player who joined last summer and helped them qualify for the Europa League after promotion to the Premier League.

Why it matters:

For Chelsea, the appeal is obvious from the reported Alonso connection. A midfielder who already knows the manager’s methods can reduce tactical adjustment time, especially in a squad where midfield structure affects everything from build-up rhythm to defensive protection. The source does not say Chelsea have made a bid, agreed terms, or opened formal negotiations, so the football logic should not be confused with transfer certainty.

Sunderland angle:

Sunderland’s position may be the more consequential part of the story. According to The Guardian, Xhaka played a major role in their Europa League qualification after promotion. Losing that kind of player would not just remove experience; it could alter how Sunderland approach their first European campaign after such a rapid rise. With two years still on his contract, Sunderland are not described as being forced into a sale.

Market context:

The same report says Como have an eye on Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah. That detail does not make this a swap story, and the source does not link the two situations as one transaction. But it does show Chelsea’s squad could be part of multiple market conversations at once: incoming midfield interest around Xhaka, and external attention on a defender already at the club.

What to watch:

The next useful signal would be whether Chelsea’s interest becomes a formal approach, whether Sunderland publicly harden their position, or whether Xhaka’s camp indicates any preference. Until then, the story sits in the high-interest, low-certainty zone of the transfer window: tactically plausible, manager-linked, but still dependent on club willingness and price.

Confidence:

Confirmed by the source: Chelsea are interested in Xhaka, Sunderland want to keep him, he has two years left on his deal, he previously played under Xabi Alonso at Bayer Leverkusen, and Como are interested in Trevoh Chalobah. Not confirmed: a bid, fee, agreement, medical, personal terms, or any completed move.