Sunderland captain Granit Xhaka has broken his silence on his future amid mounting speculation over a potential switch to Chelsea. The 33-year-old, currently representing Switzerland at the World Cup, has been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge following Xabi Alonso's appointment at the club this summer.
Chelsea's Rejected Bid and Planned Improved Offer
Last week, Sunderland knocked back an opening £8 million bid from Chelsea for Xhaka, insisting the midfielder is not available for transfer. The Blues are now gearing up to submit a fresh and significantly improved offer for the former Arsenal and Bayer Leverkusen man, understood to be in the region of £10 million plus add-ons.
Xhaka's Response to Transfer Speculation
Xhaka has now addressed his future after Switzerland's commanding 2-0 victory over Algeria. When quizzed about a possible summer switch to Chelsea, Xhaka told Blick: "That's not my job. I have my management for that. I want to concentrate fully on the World Cup."
150th Cap and World Cup Progress
In helping Switzerland advance to the Round of 16, Xhaka also earned his 150th cap for his country—a landmark he was clearly proud of. He said: "The team cheered me on beforehand, and I told them they would make the day special if we advanced. 150 games for the country where I was born and raised. Being able to wear the red jersey makes you proud. It's all the more wonderful that we played well and progressed."
Switzerland's Victory Over Algeria
Switzerland were thoroughly deserving winners against Algeria in Canada, with Breel Embolo and Dan Ndoye netting either side of half-time, setting up a last-16 clash against either Colombia or Ghana. Reflecting on the win over Algeria, Xhaka said: "At the beginning, we were almost over-motivated; we needed that goal to help us. At halftime, we had to address things that weren't good – too many long balls, we couldn't hold onto the ball, and we weren't playing the game that makes us strong. The second half was then more controlled. We're all old enough to be honest with each other. Even though we were leading 1-0, our game wasn't perfect. We addressed it, changed things, and consequently played a good second half."
Sunderland's Summer Transfer Activity
Sunderland, who wrapped up seventh place in the Premier League last season, are yet to bring in any first-team additions this summer. Nevertheless, several players have already headed for the exit door. Dan Neil departed upon the expiry of his contract earlier this week, subsequently completing a switch to Rangers, while Nazariy Rusyn, Dennis Cirkin and Bertrand Traore are amongst those to have left on a free transfer. Meanwhile, Eliezer Mayenda is on the verge of sealing a move to Rennes after the Ligue 1 outfit and Sunderland reached an agreement worth £22 million for the winger. He has been granted permission to travel to France to undergo a medical.
