Granit Xhaka transfer news: Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris declares Chelsea move 'closed' with Switzerland midfielder set to stay at Stadium of Light
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Published 26/07/2026 at 23:29 GMT+1
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Regis Le Bris has ruled out any chance of Granit Xhaka joining Chelsea this summer, insisting Sunderland's captain remains fully committed to the club despite interest from The Blues. Speaking after The Black Cats' 4-2 pre-season defeat to Liverpool in Nashville, Le Bris made it clear the speculation surrounding his captain has come to an end.
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Chelsea, under new head coach Xabi Alonso, had explored a move for the 33-year-old, with the Spaniard eager to reunite with the midfielder he captained to an unbeaten Bundesliga title at Bayer Leverkusen.
Sunderland, however, swiftly rejected an ÂŁ8 million bid - according to the Evening Standard - and have consistently maintained that one of their most influential players is not for sale.
Xhaka has become the cornerstone of Le Bris' side since arriving from Leverkusen last summer, helping Sunderland exceed expectations by finishing seventh in the Premier League and securing UEFA Europa League football in their first season back in the top flight.
The Switzerland international also featured six times at this summer's FIFA World Cup as his country reached the quarter-finals, losing to Argentina.
"No, this topic is closed," Le Bris told reporters after the loss to Liverpool in the States.
"He has been really clear about his future. He loves Sunderland, he wants to stay in Sunderland. He wants to make the future of Sunderland. He is a good captain. Great leader."
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Xhaka has been linked with a move to Chelsea this summer
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Le Bris also indicated Sunderland's recruitment this summer will be far quieter than the extensive rebuild that followed promotion, suggesting any business will be conducted away from the spotlight.
"It's going to be quiet. Under the radar, right? I won't give you information. Because I think we are working hard behind the scenes, and it's really important to be quiet because otherwise it's a mess."
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"And we are looking at probably a different transfer window if you compare with last season. We had to sign 14 new players. It won't be the case this year. We'll see what will happen."
Meanwhile, Chelsea have arrived in Australia before their first pre-season friendly against Western Sydney Wanderers on Tuesday, but striker Emmanuel Emegha has been left out of the squad after sustaining a hamstring injury.
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Alonso's side will face Western Sydney Wanderers before taking on Tottenham Hotspur on August 1, with further fixtures against Juventus and AC Milan scheduled as part of their Australia and Asia tour.
The Blues travelled with a 27-man squad, although captain Reece James and summer signing Morgan Rogers were not included after their extended break following England's World Cup semi-final run.
Emegha's absence comes after the Netherlands international picked up the issue during a behind-closed-doors friendly against Bromley this week.
The forward scored in Chelsea's 3-0 victory over the League One side, having also found the net in the win against Crawley Town on Saturday.
New signing Geovany Quenda was another notable absentee from the touring squad after joining from Sporting CP, although Chelsea have yet to confirm the reason behind his omission.
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