Regis Le Bris has made Sunderland's position on Granit Xhaka clear. After Sunderland's 4-2 pre-season friendly defeat to Liverpool, he said Chelsea can ask, but the captain is not for sale.
Le Bris's blunt line was backed by the detail around it. Chelsea reportedly made an £8 million bid for Xhaka, and Sunderland rejected it. The message from the club is simple enough, they are not treating their captain like a player available for a quick sale.
Sunderland's stance on Xhaka
Le Bris told goal.com: "No, this topic is closed. He has been really clear about his future. He loves Sunderland, he wants to stay in Sunderland. He wants to make the future of Sunderland. He is a good captain. Great leader."
Xhaka's deal runs until 30 June 2028, which gives Sunderland leverage and removes any need to rush into talks.
Chelsea's interest may not be the strange part here. The odd part would have been Sunderland entertaining it seriously. Xhaka played 34 Premier League matches last season and delivered seven direct goal contributions, so this is not a squad player they can casually replace.
Why Sunderland are standing firm
Le Bris also said Sunderland expect a quieter window than last summer, when they had to sign 14 new players. That fits the way this has been handled. Sunderland do not sound like a club preparing to lose one of their most established figures before the season starts.
The £8 million offer tells its own story too. It is a bid that invites rejection rather than negotiation, especially for a captain under contract until 2028. Chelsea have made the first move, Sunderland have answered, and the answer was no.
For now, the speculation has been pushed back to where Le Bris clearly wants it: off the table.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 4 outlets. How we work →
