The prospect of Chelsea signing a 33-year-old midfielder might seem unremarkable, but for a club that has deliberately fielded the Premier League's youngest squad for the past two seasons, it represents a significant shift. Chelsea are in talks to sign veteran Granit Xhaka from Sunderland, according to reports, a move that would break their recent policy of signing only young players and bring in a player who will turn 34 in September.
Granit Xhaka, a Switzerland international currently at the World Cup, played 34 times last season as Sunderland finished seventh in the Premier League and qualified for the Europa League. He captained the side and was widely praised for his leadership. Xhaka is under contract until 2028 and his representatives have had contact from Chelsea, though the club has not confirmed it. Sunderland have stated they have no intention of selling and have no financial pressure to do so. Xhaka is known to be open to a reunion with his former manager at Bayer Leverkusen, Xabi Alonso, who is now Chelsea's head coach. The pair won the Bundesliga together in 2024.
“Explains Chelsea's pursuit of Granit Xhaka and what it says about their transfer strategy”
Why does a potential deal for Xhaka matter so much? It signals a potential change in Chelsea's whole transfer approach. Since the Clearlake Capital takeover, co-owned by Behdad Eghbali, Chelsea have focused on signing young players with high resale value, fielding the youngest team in the league for two seasons and not selecting a player aged 30 or over in that period. However, this strategy has drawn criticism over a perceived lack of leadership and concerns about dressing-room culture. Eghbali and other club leaders acknowledge that adjustments are needed to improve recruitment. Xhaka, a former Arsenal captain, is seen as the kind of experienced presence that could solve those issues.
For UK readers, this story touches on several wider themes. It shows how a manager can reshape a club's identity: Alonso is clearly pushing for experience alongside young talent. It also affects the balance of power in the Premier League, with Sunderland resisting a sale despite interest from a bigger club. And it could trigger other moves — Chelsea's interest in Xhaka comes amid growing expectations that midfielder Enzo Fernandez could join Real Madrid, who have already signed Chelsea left-back Marc Cucurella this summer. Chelsea are also set to sign Atalanta right-back Marco Palestra, while several first-team players face uncertain futures.
Q: Why are Chelsea trying to sign Granit Xhaka at 33? A: Chelsea are reportedly looking to add experience and leadership to their young squad. Xhaka captained Sunderland last season after helping them gain promotion, and he previously won the Bundesliga under manager Xabi Alonso at Bayer Leverkusen. The move would mark a departure from Chelsea's recent focus on signing only young players.
Q: Has Granit Xhaka been involved in a similar transfer before? A: Yes, Xhaka left Arsenal for Bayer Leverkusen in 2023 and then joined Sunderland in 2025. His career has included moves motivated by reunions with managers, such as Alonso at Leverkusen. He is currently at the World Cup with Switzerland.
Q: What does this mean for Sunderland? A: Sunderland are determined to keep Xhaka, who has two years left on his contract. They qualified for the Europa League on the final day of last season and have no financial pressure to sell key players. Any transfer would require a significant fee, and the club's sources say they have no intention of letting him go.
What happens next? Chelsea have not yet agreed personal terms with Xhaka. A deal may depend on the sale of Enzo Fernandez to Real Madrid, who value him at £120m. Chelsea are also set to sign Marco Palestra and could offload players like Trevoh Chalobah, who is of interest to Como. Sunderland remain firm that Xhaka is not for sale. The coming weeks will show whether Chelsea are willing to break their transfer policy to reunite Xhaka with Alonso.