Fabrizio Romano shares 3-word review on Xhaka’s move to Sunderland after Chelsea bid
Fabrizio Romano has shared a major update on Granit Xhaka’s future, with Chelsea still in the hunt for the Sunderland star.
This is despite the Black Cats insisting their midfielder is not for sale, having recently returned the Blues’ opener.
After playing 34 Premier League games en route to Sunderland qualifying for the Europa League, Xhaka has been a key player for Switzerland at the World Cup, as his team has managed to advance to the round of 32, where they will face Algeria.
However, behind the scenes, rumors continue to circulate about his future at the Stadium of Light, with Xabi Alonso set to reunite with the former Bayer Leverkusen man.
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Football FanCast verdict |
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Honesty |
Chelsea are looking to add more experience to their squad, having received criticism for having an average age of 23 last season, making their squad the youngest in the Premier League. Xhaka has extensive experience in the Premier League and Europe, and bringing in a new midfielder could be crucial this summer, as Enzo Fernandez lures Real Madrid. |
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Finance |
The Blues’ opening bid of £8m was knocked back by Regis Le Bris’ club, perhaps unsurprisingly, given he is one of their most valuable players. However, it would be unwise to submit a new bid for more than that figure, considering that the Switzerland international will turn 34 later this year. |
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Testing |
The ex-Arsenal man missed just four Premier League games last season, when he completed the club’s highest number of 90 accurate passes (46.9), and his six assists tied him joint joint with Enzo Le Fee. |
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Impact |
Should Chelsea be able to get a deal over the line, they could opt to move to another club for midfielder Felix Nmecha, who is valued at more than £86m. A cheap deal for Xhaka would make more sense, considering Nmecha has no experience in the Premier League, and the Blues may not be able to cash in, after missing out on European football altogether. |
Chelsea are keen on further negotiations to sign Granit Xhaka
According to Fabrizio Romano, Chelsea are now ready to hold further talks over a deal for the Sunderland star, as they look to tempt their Premier League rivals into a sale.
An initial offer of £8m will need to be increased, but the Swiss maestro, who has been hailed as “intimidating” by Ewan Bowman of the Roker Report, is “pushing to join” according to Romano, as he is keen to work with Alonso again.
How did you compare Granit Xhaka to Enzo Fernandez
There have been reports that Fernandez has already agreed to a contract to join Real Madrid, indicating that his time at Stamford Bridge will soon come to an end.
As an Argentinian, Xhaka also often plays in a deep-lying role, but is much less of a goal threat, scoring just one Premier League goal last season, compared to ten for the Chelsea star.
That said, the 149-capped Switzerland international achieved a duels winning percentage of 60.3% in the Premier League last season, compared to 44.2% from Fernandez, suggesting he could be better from a defensive perspective.
Chelsea will sign Arsenal’s target after the World Cup
He will be the plot of Xabi Alonso.
