Chelsea chiefs have got their assessment of Granit Xhaka completely wrong

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Chelsea’s pursuit of Sunderland midfielder Granit Xhaka is starting to turn into a real transfer saga.

Chelsea have already made one bid for Xhaka, which was immediately rejected by their Premier League rivals.

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Sunderland’s rebuff was more than understandable, with the Club World Cup holders submitting a meagre £8m bid.

For the Black Cats, that was insulting. Yet according to the Daily Mail, Chelsea believe that offer was actually close to Xhaka’s value as they prepare to make another.

Even the most loyal Chelsea fan would have to take Sunderland’s side here. Anyone who watched Xhaka last season will know that he is worth way more than £8m.

Chelsea will argue, at 33, he has very little resale value. However, the Switzerland international was one of the best midfielders in the Premier League during the 2025/26 campaign.

In possession, Xhaka is excellent. He always makes himself available for the ball and keeps things ticking over. Xhaka is not afraid to make a challenge either and is just a real presence in midfield overall.

After playing for Sunderland, Arsenal, Bayer Leverkusen, Borussia Monchengladbach and Basel, Xhaka has made more than 630 senior appearances in his career. He has also been capped 149 times by Switzerland.

With so much experience, it is no surprise that Xhaka has developed into such a leader, with the former Arsenal skipper now captaining Sunderland. That and the above are all reasons why Xhaka is worth much more than £8m.

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It is also important to remember that Sunderland signed Xhaka from Leverkusen for roughly £17m. Why would the Black Cats sell him for half of that after the season he has just had? His value has not gone down just because he is a year older.

Chelsea were never going to accomplish anything with an £8m bid, which was pathetic in all honesty. At the same time, Chelsea should not overspend on Xhaka and should try to meet Sunderland halfway, as he is unlikely to be an automatic starter for them next term.