Xhaka 'orchestrating' Sunderland exit as Chelsea's 'embarrassing' bid sparks anger

Chelsea’s pursuit of Granit Xhaka has triggered national debate after Sunderland rejected an opening bid of around £8 million. Reports say the Black Cats do not want to sell Xhaka, who remains under contract at the Stadium of Light until 2028. Sunderland’s stance drew criticism because the club paid £17 million to sign the Switzerland midfielder from Bayer Leverkusen last summer, and he captained Sunderland to seventh in the Premier League and a Europa League qualification spot. BBC Sport described any deal for the 33-year-old as a “radical shift” for Chelsea, given they have not selected players aged 30 or over in the last two seasons. Multiple outlets expect Chelsea to return with a higher offer, but sources also indicate Sunderland view the approach as a “lack of respect.” Fabrizio Romano says Sunderland are not under pressure to sell, while Alex Crook claims Xhaka may be “orchestrating” an exit.