Chelsea have been sharply criticised by Alan Shearer after their £8 million bid for Sunderland midfielder Granit Xhaka was rejected as disrespectful in late June 2026.
Sunderland promptly turned down the offer for the 33-year-old Swiss, reiterating that their former Arsenal captain is not available for transfer at any price this summer.
Speaking to Betfair, Shearer questioned the logic behind Chelsea's valuation, pointing out that Sunderland had paid more than double that fee only a year earlier.
"Sunderland bought Granit Xhaka for £17m and he was one of the best players in this Premier League last season, " Shearer said.
"He wasn't just one of the best players at Sunderland, but in the Premier League. And Chelsea think they can come in and offer less than half of what they bought him for and think that's acceptable?
I mean, that's bizarre."
Xhaka signed for newly-promoted Sunderland a year ago in a £17 million deal and played a pivotal role in helping the club secure a top-half Premier League finish.
The bid matters because it exposes the gulf between Chelsea's ambitions and their approach, with the club having finished 10th last season and now preparing for incoming manager Xabi Alonso.
Alonso knows Xhaka well, having coached the midfielder at Bayer Leverkusen, where they won an unbeaten Bundesliga title together during the 2023-24 campaign.
The incoming Chelsea boss reportedly views Xhaka as a priority target to inject leadership and experience into a squad short on both after a turbulent season.
Sunderland's hierarchy, however, remain firm on keeping the player who exceeded all expectations during their return to the top flight.
Chelsea have been busy elsewhere in the market, including talks with Rayo Vallecano over Pep Chavarría, but their pursuit of Xhaka appears dead unless they dramatically raise their valuation.
For now, Sunderland hold all the leverage on a player under contract, and Chelsea must decide whether Alonso's admiration is worth an offer that reflects Xhaka's true value; stay with DasFootball for every twist in the saga.
