Chelsea's bid for Granit Xhaka rejected by Sunderland
Chelsea have had an 8m-pound offer for Granit Xhaka rejected by Sunderland, with the Premier League side standing firm that the midfielder is not available for transfer.

The west London side have made the academy graduate available for transfer over the past year, and Everton are now close to agreeing a deal after renegotiating the structure of the original 25 million-pound purchase option included in George's loan.
Instead of paying the full fee upfront, the Merseyside club are expected to complete the transfer with a lower initial payment supplemented by performance-related add-ons.
George, a 20-year-old winger, spent the second half of last season on loan at Everton, where he made 11 appearances and one start.
His performances during the four-month spell left a positive impression on manager David Moyes, who said in May that the youngster was "an excellent boy" with "excellent work-rate" when discussing the possibility of signing him permanently.
Before joining Everton on loan, George held transfer talks with RB Leipzig, while a proposed £22 million switch to Fulham collapsed on transfer deadline day in September 2025.
Chelsea's willingness to sanction departures comes after finishing 10th in the Premier League and missing out on European qualification, resulting in reduced broadcasting and matchday revenue.
The club also remain under a UEFA settlement agreement for the next three seasons after breaching financial regulations last off-season.
Alongside expected player sales, Chelsea have already signed Marco Palestra from Atalanta and continue to hold interest in Maxence Lacroix, Jacobo Ramon and Pep Chavarría.
Real Madrid are monitoring Enzo Fernández, while Como and Inter Milan are among the clubs keen on Trevoh Chalobah. The futures of Benoît Badiashile, Tosin Adarabioyo, Wesley Fofana, Alejandro Garnacho and Liam Delap also remain unresolved.