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Chelsea’s pursuit of the Sunderland captain Grant Xhaka has hit a roadblock after the Black Cats turned down an opening bid of around £8m for the Switzerland international.
The north east club have not only rejected the bid but stated that the midfielder is not for sale.
Chelsea do not want to pay a bigger fee
The 33-year-old is reportedly desperate to play for Chelsea head coach Xabi Alonso after the pair’s successful time together in Germany with Bayer Leverkusen.
However, it seems the Blues are not keen on paying any more than the £8m that they have already offered for a player who will be 34 in September.
Chelsea’s recent philosophy has been to buy young players and attempt to develop them, which has yielded some results. However, last season the Blues finished in tenth place in the Premier League table.
Some have suggested that their team needed experience to help bind the team together. It seems that Xabi Alonso agreed, and the Blues made the move for Xhaka, who he has praised in the past.
Unfortunately for Chelsea, Sunderland holds all the cards, as they are strong financially. They are under no pressure to sell the midfielder, as he has two years left on his contract with the north east club.
A transfer saga that could drag on
This is a transfer saga that could drag on, with neither club willing to compromise. Xhaka has stated his admiration for Sunderland and how happy he has been playing for the north east club.
The Chelsea bid is believed to have turned his head, though. In the past, a player in his situation has agitated for a move by putting in a transfer request.
Whether that will happen, only time will tell. However, Sunderland especially will be keen for this situation not to drag on too long, as Xhaka is a crucial member of their team and would be difficult to replace.