Chelsea set to submit second bid for Xhaka after £8m opening offer rejected out of hand

Chelsea plan to test Sunderland by submitting a second bid for their captainGranit Xhaka.

The Stamford Bridge outfit saw their first offer worth £8million on Saturday turned down with those inside the Stadium of Light taking a dim view of that valuation. Sunderland have insisted their 33-year-old skipper is not for sale this summer and it is understood they viewed the first offer as 'insulting'.

However, with Xhaka keen on being reunited with his former Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso, Chelsea are ready to return in another effort at securing their target.

Sources are not disclosing how much their second bid is set to be worth at this time, though Chelsea did feel their initial bid was fair and close to Xhaka’s value.

Chelsea’s interest in Xhaka has largely been driven by Alonso, whose four-year contract in charge of his new club officially kicked in today (July 1).

Together, Alonso and Xhaka did the Double with Leverkusen in 2023-24 as they won the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal. They also reached the final of the Europa League, where they were beaten by Atalanta.

Sunderland signed Xhaka from Leverkusen last summer in a deal worth £13m, plus £4m in add-ons. As captain, he helped them secure European football in their first season back in the Premier League, and is contracted until 2028.

The former Arsenal midfielder, who turns 34 in September, is currently away with Switzerland at the 2026 World Cup.

Meanwhile, Chelsea have announced their first signing of the summer in Marco Palestra from Atalanta. He has cost £47m including add-ons, and is considered to be a ‘ready-made’ signing, capable of troubling Alonso’s starting line-up.

Palestra, 21, is an Italy international and was named Serie A’s Defender of the Year for 2025-26 while on loan with Cagliari from Atalanta. Chelsea secured his services ahead of Inter Milan and others.