'I Am Ready To...' - Granit Xhaka Issues Strong Sunderland Message After Chelsea Transfer Saga

Sunderland captain Granit Xhaka has publicly reaffirmed his commitment to the Black Cats following the transfer saga surrounding his prospective move to Chelsea. 

Earlier in the summer transfer window, the Black Cats faithful feared the worst when Xhaka was linked with a move from Sunderland to Chelsea, just one season after captaining the newly-promoted side to seventh in the Premier League and qualification for next term’s Europa League. 

Reports suggested that Xhaka was keen to reunite with Xabi Alonso, his former Bayer Leverkusen boss, and the prospective transfer went as far as Chelsea making an opening £8m bid for the Swiss star, which Sunderland knocked back. 

With many Sunderland fans resigned to seeing the 33-year-old leave for Stamford Bridge, the anxiety hanging over the Stadium of Light was shifted when news emerged that Xhaka had reaffirmed his commitment to the Black Cats project.

Now, after his Switzerland side advanced into the latter stages of the World Cup with their penalty shoot-out win over Colombia, Xhaka has spoken out himself and made it clear that he will be staying at Sunderland this summer, and has delivered an exciting statement ahead of next season.

Amid the Chelsea saga, Xhaka has been away from Wearside at the World Cup for Switzerland, and has been in outstanding form for his national side. 

In the early hours of Wednesday morning, Xhaka scored the first penalty for Switzerland to set his national team on course for a dramatic shoot-out win over Colombia, seeing them advance to the quarter-finals of the World Cup for the first time 72 years. 

Understandably so, Xhaka was overcome with emotion after the winning penalty, which saw Switzerland through to their first World Cup quarter-final since 1954, on his 151st cap.

Following the overjoyed Swiss celebrations, Xhaka was questioned about his links to a shock move to Chelsea and gave a defiant response to reaffirm his commitment to Sunderland. 

In an interview with DAZN, Xhaka said: “Sunderland has been my home since day one. We are all very happy.

Although Sunderland fans could be forgiven for being upset at the Chelsea transfer saga, that worrying chapter at the Stadium of Light can thankfully be, in no uncertain terms, concluded.

Now for Xhaka, he and his Swiss teammates are gearing up to take on reigning World Cup champions Argentina in the quarter-finals in the early hours of Sunday morning, and all of the Black Cats faithful back on Wearside and around the world will be cheering on the Sunderland captain.