Alonso's Influence Evident as Chelsea Close In on Xhaka from Sunderland

Xabi Alonso's newfound authority at Chelsea is already bearing fruit, with the Blues poised to bring in Granit Xhaka from Sunderland following a full verbal agreement between the midfielder and the club.

The 33-year-old made quite the impression during Sunderland's remarkable first season back in the Premier League, helping the newly-promoted side secure European qualification while establishing himself as one of the campaign's standout signings. Now Alonso, recently appointed as Chelsea manager with expanded control over recruitment compared to his predecessors, is keen to reunite with a player he previously managed at Bayer Leverkusen.

Xhaka's stock has risen considerably since his mixed Arsenal days. The Swiss midfielder proved instrumental in Leverkusen's Bundesliga triumph under Alonso's stewardship and has continued that impressive trajectory on Merseyside, despite the unconventional nature of such a move fitting BlueCo's usual transfer strategy.

Chelsea have already tabled an initial offer of €30 million, with personal terms between the player and the club fully settled. Negotiations with Sunderland are now underway as Alonso makes his desire to sign the midfielder known.

The manager's influence on this pursuit is unmistakable. Speaking in 2024, Xhaka himself highlighted what made Alonso's management so effective: "He doesn't judge players by their name or experience level. During the week, he's considering who's earned the right to play come Saturday through their training performances. He backs every player to demonstrate their value, and managing that with so many different personalities and backgrounds is genuinely difficult. But his playing career gives him the confidence to inspire everyone around him."