Chelsea have a full verbal agreement for Granit Xhaka
Your next midfield signing is Granit Xhaka. Chelsea have reached a full verbal agreement with Sunderland for the 33-year-old, and multiple outlets across Europe confirm the deal is advancing fast (2) (3) (5) (8) (9) (10) (12).
Xabi Alonso is pushing very hard for this reunion (5). He managed Xhaka at Bayer Leverkusen and has been clear about what he sees. "Granit is a real fighter, he showed the big heart he has," Alonso said (2).
Xhaka himself wants London and wants Alonso. He is willing to accept any contract condition just to make it happen (Reddit 2). He also knows what he is walking into. "He is not a coach that is looking out for the names or status of players, in terms of who is older or younger, or who has played more games," Xhaka said (5).
Get the next Chelsea FC brief by email
This article went out to subscribers as a brief. Get the next one straight to your inbox, free.
Free · No spam · Unsubscribe anytime
The fee will be substantial. This shapes up as the second-most expensive transfer ever for a player over 32 (6). Chelsea have launched their bid, and it is a statement.
Sunderland say he is not for sale
Sunderland are digging in publicly. The club says Granit Xhaka is not for sale and that they have no financial pressure to sell key players (7). Chelsea have entered talks with his camp, though personal terms are not yet agreed (Reddit 3).
The stance complicates things, but the verbal agreement on Chelsea's side suggests the wheels are turning.
Como bid for Chalobah, Chelsea want more
Como have made an official bid for Trevoh Chalobah. The offer is around £22m in pounds, roughly €25m, but Chelsea want closer to £30m with £5m in add-ons (1, 4, Reddit 1, Reddit 4, Reddit 5).
Chelsea are holding firm because other clubs are watching. Inter Milan are attentive and monitoring the situation (1, Reddit 5).
Liam Delap could also be on his way out
Everton have sent an exit proposal for Liam Delap, and a sale looks likely (4). After a season where he managed only one Premier League goal, the club appear ready to move on.
Fabian Ruiz linked as Alonso's midfield plan takes shape
With Enzo Fernandez potentially leaving for Real Madrid this summer, a new name has surfaced. Fabian Ruiz is being linked as part of a broader Alonso midfield rebuild (11). The Xhaka deal and the Ruiz link together paint a clear picture of what Alonso wants in the middle of the park.
Fan-reaktioner
The mood is split sharply between excitement and scepticism. Plenty of fans are thrilled about Xhaka reuniting with Alonso, calling it a smart, character-driven signing. But others are wary of spending big on a 33-year-old, especially while Sunderland publicly insist he is not for sale. On the Chalobah side, most agree the Como bid is too low and want the club to hold out for £30m or more. See the full discussion here.
