Sunderland owner drops subtle transfer hint
Sunderland owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus has given a subtle Granit Xhaka transfer hint after liking an Instagram post from the Black Cats captain amid ongoing speculation about his future on Wearside.
The Black Cats have rejected an £8m bid from Chelsea for the 33-year-old midfielder, with the club left insulted by the approach from Xabi Alonso's side. The new Blues boss is keen on a reunion with his former Bayer Leverkusen captain, and Xhaka reportedly wants to work with his former boss.
Sunderland's firm stance on Xhaka
However, Sunderland's stance is clear: Xhaka is not for sale and they will not entertain any new bids after a dismal opening offer. Xhaka is currently on international duty with Switzerland at the World Cup, focused on helping his side through the knockout stages.
He took to social media to show himself enjoying downtime with his wife and kids in San Diego, California, captioning the images: 'Moments that matter most [red loveheart emoji] #Gx34.' Louis-Dreyfus, who played a key role in signing Xhaka last summer, liked the post, with Sunderland fans reading into the social media activity as a positive sign.
Owner's role in Xhaka transfer
The Sunderland owner has a positive relationship with Xhaka, having been instrumental in luring the Swiss international to Wearside last summer. Regis Le Bris explained Louis-Dreyfus' role in the transfer, saying: 'The manager is important, we spoke about the game model and the way we want to play, our ambition and togetherness, so I had my role. Flo and Kristjaan have their role. And I think Kyril was really, really important in that process. Kyril was really involved, probably more than many owners in that process. Everyone had their own strengths and own role and in the end we succeeded. He was really important because for us it wasn't a normal signing. It was something totally different and his involvement was crucial and massive.'
Xhaka's tribute to Louis-Dreyfus
Xhaka also paid tribute to Louis-Dreyfus in a rousing end-of-season speech after qualifying for the Europa League. 'First of all, thank you to the owner, thank you to Flo and thank you to the coach,' Xhaka said on the final day of the season. 'I want to say thank you because these three people, what they did with this football club, players, staff, everyone included with the club is f****** unbelievable. Massive thank you as well to you guys. Without your support, at home, away, this is not possible. I can promise you from my side as the captain of this football club, this is just the beginning and we want more.'
