Chelsea’s ownership group BlueCo and head coach Xabi Alonso appear to be at odds regarding a potential transfer for Sunderland midfielder Granit Xhaka, according to the journalist who first reported the London club’s interest.

Reports of Chelsea’s pursuit of Xhaka surfaced on June 27, when Italian journalist Luca Cerchione revealed that the Blues were exploring a move for the Swiss international.

Cerchione shared at 11:22 a.m. that day that “Chelsea are targeting Granit Xhaka at the express request of Xabi Alonso, his former coach at Bayer Leverkusen,” adding that “the Blues’ opening offer is 30 million euros.”

Since then, developments have moved swiftly, with Chelsea’s initial £8 million bid for Xhaka being rejected. Sunderland, who acquired Xhaka from Bayer Leverkusen for £17.5 million during the summer of 2025, are unwilling to part with the ex-Arsenal midfielder.

Nevertheless, it is understood that Xhaka is eager to reunite with Alonso at Stamford Bridge. Speaking to Time2Play on July 1, Fabrizio Romano explained, “A year ago, Granit Xhaka was desperate to move to Italy. He was Igli Tare’s top target for AC Milan’s 2025/26 project, but the deal fell through and Xhaka ended up at Sunderland. Today, Chelsea are becoming very serious about him. Xhaka wants to return to London and is pushing hard to work with Xabi Alonso again. Chelsea have already made an opening proposal and will soon increase it.”

According to Cerchione, who has nearly 35,000 followers, there is now an internal disagreement within Chelsea about whether to move forward with the deal. While Alonso is adamant that Xhaka is essential to his vision for the team, BlueCo are reportedly reluctant to spend £25 million on a 33-year-old midfielder.

Cerchione stated at 11:48 a.m. on July 3: “Granit Xhaka does not fit within Chelsea’s transfer parameters, as they would never invest £25 million in a player over 30. There is a real tug-of-war between Xabi Alonso and the club: the manager considers him essential to the project and continues to insist on the signing. The Blues do not need to negotiate with Sunderland since they already know the valuation, but they are still deciding whether to support their new coach’s request.”

Currently representing Switzerland at the 2026 World Cup, Xhaka has declined to comment on speculation about his future. When asked about a potential move, the former Arsenal captain said, “That’s not my job to discuss. I have my management team for that. I want to focus entirely on the World Cup.”

Former Sunderland striker Marco Gabbiadini has also provided his view on the situation. Speaking on BBC Radio Newcastle, he remarked, “It’s clear there have been discussions, and he wants to seize the opportunity if it’s available. I thought it might relate more to his coaching future and his connection with Alonso — perhaps he’s considering a future coaching role under him. It’s disappointing for Sunderland fans, though. He might claim he’s only focusing on the World Cup, but with his experience, he surely knows what’s happening behind the scenes, even if he’s not directly involved in the conversations.”