Xabi Alonso and Granit Xhaka enjoyed working together at Bayer Leverkusen, and they could reunite at Chelsea this summer.
Granit Xhaka has previously described it as a ‘dream’ to play under Xabi Alonso. The Sunderland midfielder has recently been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge as the new Chelsea manager looks to bolster his options in the middle of the park.
football.london understands that the Blues are interested in signing Xhaka, whose contract at the Stadium of Light expires in June 2028. The Blues recently had an £8m bid for the Switzerland international rejected; the Black Cats were said to be furious with the offer.
Sunderland believe the fee was well wide of the mark, and they maintain that Xhaka is not for sale. It’s understood, however, that the 33-year-old, who turns 34 at the end of September, is open to reuniting with Alonso, having previously worked together at Bayer Leverkusen.
Under the former Liverpool midfielder, Xhaka featured 99 times across all competitions for the German outfit, scoring six goals and providing nine assists. Playing a key role on the side, the Swiss won the Bundesliga unbeaten, the DFB Pokal, and the Franz Beckenbauer Supercup.
FOLLOW OUR CHELSEA FB PAGE! Latest Blues news, analysis and much more via our dedicated Facebook page
They almost got their hands on the Europa League trophy, too, losing to Atalanta in the final. Speaking to reporters ahead of the showpiece event in Dublin a couple of years ago, Xhaka outlined exactly what makes Alonso such a good gaffer.
“I would point to his personality and winning mentality,” said the former Arsenal midfielder, as quoted by UEFA. “He had that already when he was a player.
“But, as a coach too, he gets this across to us, not just in the matches but during training as well. He’s always giving us instructions on how to win games, on how to stay calm even if we’re going through a stage that is not so good.”
A few weeks prior, Alonso had heaped praise on Xhaka upon winning the German top-flight. Together, they helped Leverkusen become the first club, other than Bayern Munich, to win the Bundesliga in 11 years.
Speaking to CBS Sports, the new Chelsea boss said: “He made my job a lot easier. He played a big part in this success; without him, it wouldn’t have been possible.”
In February 2024, when Leverkusen laid down a marker in the title race with a 3-0 win over Bayern, Alonso explained what makes Xhaka such a great captain. As quoted by GiveMeSports, the Spaniard said: “Granit is a real fighter, he showed the big heart he has.
“He really wanted to stay on the field and continued to fight. He continued to play in a very disciplined and focused manner. He is an aggressive leader and constantly pushes the limits.”
Earlier in the season, while studying for a UEFA A license, Xhaka was asked to explain the difference between Alonso and Mikel Arteta. In December 2023, the former Arsenal skipper told The PFA: “Mikel, for example, he has his philosophy, and that’s it.
“Even to play always with a back four and never change to a back five, for example, or never change like a 4-4-2 with two proper strikers. So you had this 4-3-3, with one six and two eights.
“Xabi is a little bit different. I think that Xabi can play a back four, but he can play as well a back five, you know? What he wants is always two no.6s, not running everywhere or more of the time be in the position.
“But I think that if you are a coach you need your own philosophy, your own tactics, your own ideas. Of course, you can always change one or two, but you can’t change so many things about it, you know?”
In November 2023, following a 3-0 win over Werder Bremen, Xhaka paid Alonso the ultimate compliment. Speaking to Sky Sports Germany, as quoted by Flashscore, the Chelsea target said: “It’s a dream for me to play under Xabi Alonso, he was a world-class player in the same position as me — I played against him myself.
“He gives me things that I can take… We have a great team, a great coach and a great mentality. We work hard daily, and you can see the results on the ground.”
Get Chelsea’s new 2026/27 home kit
£89.99
Nike
Buy Now on Nike
Chelsea have launched their new home kit for the 2026/27 season, said to be ‘a celebration of the club’s Italian Renaissance.
