Former Arsenal captain Granit Xhaka (2019) is very close to a most surprising move to Chelsea.
The 33-year-old, who is currently with Switzerland in the World Cup, made the switch from Bayer Leverkusen to Sunderland last summer. There, the experienced midfielder had a very good season and became a key player for the club.
Switzerland are through to the round of 16 and will face Algeria on Friday.
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Now, however, it seems that Xhaka, who played for Arsenal from 2016 to 2023, is on his way to Stamford Bridge – where he will be reunited with Xabi Alonso. The two know each other well from their time together at Bayer Leverkusen, where Alonso was manager and Xhaka one of the team’s most important pieces.
According to SkySports, Alonso is pushing hard to secure Xhaka as a central reinforcement in midfield. Rumours that Enzo Fernández could be on his way to Real Madrid have been swirling for a long time, and Chelsea now look set to act.
Xhaka’s path to the top
Granit Xhaka started his career in Basel, where he was brought to Borussia Mönchengladbach in 2012. After four years in Germany, he moved to Arsenal in 2016, where he became a controversial but important figure – and eventually captain. In 2023, he left London for Bayer Leverkusen, where he became one of the Bundesliga’s best midfielders under Xabi Alonso and helped win the club’s first league title.
Last summer, he made the move to Sunderland, where he became the match-winner and captain in a historic season for the club. Now the trip can go back to London – but this time in blue.
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