Granit Xhaka, the Sunderland captain, has verbally agreed to join Chelsea this summer, according to multiple reports. The 33-year-old midfielder, who previously played for Arsenal for seven seasons, has become a key player for Sunderland after returning to the Premier League last year.

Last season, Xhaka helped Sunderland secure a seventh-place finish in the Premier League, which allowed them to qualify for the Europa League. He had transferred to Sunderland from Bayer Leverkusen for a total of £17 million, which included a base fee of £13 million plus £4 million in performance-related add-ons.

Reports from Sky Sports Germany and Swiss outlet Blick indicate that Xabi Alonso has requested Chelsea to sign Xhaka, and the player has agreed to the move to Stamford Bridge. However, Chelsea has yet to finalize a transfer fee with Sunderland, who are in a strong negotiating position since Xhaka has two years remaining on his contract.

During his time at Bayer Leverkusen, Xhaka was instrumental in the team’s success, contributing to a remarkable unbeaten run of 51 games and winning both the German league and cup double. Reflecting on his time under Alonso, Xhaka praised the coach's ability to manage a diverse squad, stating, "He gives every player the chance to prove their importance to the team. I think to manage this is so difficult because you have different types of characters and nationalities, different languages. But he has this experience as a player to give confidence to everyone."

As the transfer window progresses, all eyes will be on whether Chelsea can finalize the deal for Xhaka, who has shown his leadership qualities both at Sunderland and on the international stage, where he is currently captaining Switzerland at the World Cup.