27 Jun 2026 18:29:40
Granit Xhaka is the midfield signing. Club fully backing the new manager.
1.) 27 Jun 2026
27 Jun 2026 20:42:37
Would be a very interesting signing. I mentioned the other day what had happened to the Premier League-ready and experienced idea; this certainly falls into that category, and he is a character / leader.
It does look like we are trying to add some physicality to the squad, with the players linked: Palestra, Lacroix, Xhaka.
A good thing, in my opinion, because we can look soft at times.
2.) 27 Jun 2026
27 Jun 2026 21:04:17
Under most circumstances, Chelsea signing Xhaka would not have got me excited. But, the fact he was central to Alonso's Leverkusen side, alongside both how good he was for Sunderland last season and the fact it's the club swaying from their model to support the manager - it's another good bit of business this summer.
3.) 28 Jun 2026
28 Jun 2026 01:15:07
Agreed. I think he will be one of our best signings come the end of the year. We haven't had an experienced leader since Tiago left, and it will be huge for the entire squad! Being able to show the lads in training what is expected from Xabi can't be understated either.
Really happy to see the model is shifting, and that Xabi seems to have a high level of say in what's going on.
4.) 28 Jun 2026
28 Jun 2026 09:03:06
This is a completely different player than the one who left Arsenal. If we get it over the line, he'll be a standard setter and I get the impression that he'd be quick to let players know when the standards required aren't being met. Forget anything he does on the pitch. That's what's needed. I believe Alonso referred to him as a coach on the pitch.
5.) 28 Jun 2026
28 Jun 2026 09:08:25
If Xhaka happens, it will be a very smart move by Alonso and the club. It tweaks the model nicely, and allows the very promising young players already signed up to both learn from an experienced player and have a clear pathway of their own.
I'm thinking of Andre Santos in particular. I far prefer this route as opposed to spending large on Adam Wharton and binning off Santos on some far away loan, only to lose him going forward.
6.) 29 Jun 2026
29 Jun 2026 09:30:25
It was going to be hard to get him out of Sunderland, but even harder now we have pissed them off with an offer of £8mil.
7.) 29 Jun 2026
29 Jun 2026 17:13:46
8m bid... They've said they won't entertain any more offers either... The clowns in charge strike again.
8.) 29 Jun 2026
29 Jun 2026 19:07:19
Club puts in offer for player. The plates club says not enough. The buying club then gets pelters from its fans for low balling.
Club puts in offer for player. The players club says that will do nicely, thanks very much.
The fans then dish out pelters for paying over the odds.
It's a funny old world. I personally would rather the club put in a low offer to start with.
9.) 29 Jun 2026
29 Jun 2026 20:21:23
Tom
There are low offers, then there are insulting offers. We have just done the latter.
It's always going to be a hard task to secure his services, based on the influence he has on the Sunderland squad.
10.) 29 Jun 2026
29 Jun 2026 22:08:09
Tom, if you're serious about buying a player, it's good practice to not insult them and waste everyone's time. Once again, we seem rudderless at the SD level, but keep making excuses for them.
11.) 29 Jun 2026
29 Jun 2026 22:23:00
I have no idea if we will put in another bid for the player, but I assume we have a maximum valuation. If Sunderland do not want to sell at whatever our max valuation is, then just walk away.
If that doesn't make some fans happy, then unlucky. For me that's the complete opposite to "rudderless."
12.) 29 Jun 2026
29 Jun 2026 22:27:31
I should add, I admit to having an agenda. I think he is an ok player that could do a job for a couple of seasons, but I wouldn't pay much more than we have offered.
13.) 29 Jun 2026
29 Jun 2026 22:43:17
It makes us rudderless when we splash cash on the likes of Mudryk, Gittens, Garnacho, Datro, Fofana, Lavia and 10s of others, but try and lowball and insult when it comes to a prem proven leader. That is exactly what we could do with.
14.) 30 Jun 2026
30 Jun 2026 05:44:08
What was paid for any other player has absolutely zero to do with how the club values another player.
I personally believe that in this case the valuation is about right.
As I have said before, it's impossible for the club to make every fan happy. It's the same with how fans value a player in financial terms.
15.) 30 Jun 2026
30 Jun 2026 08:17:22
Tom
I thought Alonso had more say in matters. Do we not want to make him happy, or will he walk out before pre-season?
16.) 30 Jun 2026
30 Jun 2026 08:32:57
Bill, maybe the club and Alonso have an agreed financial budget for players coming in, and let's say, hypothetically, that budget is £200 million and they have already earmarked £45 million for a new RWB, £45 million for a new CB, and still plan to buy a LWB, GK and striker for x amount, which might only leave, say, £8 million for a CM.
I'm sure Alonso is pulling the strings, but will of course have some restrictions. I hope this helps explain things, mate.
17.) 30 Jun 2026
30 Jun 2026 16:08:48
Bill, I'm sure the decision makers, including Alonso, have a valuation in mind for all our player targets.
18.) 30 Jun 2026
30 Jun 2026 17:50:36
That's the issue, Tom... No one trusts the valuations or strategies of the SDs, as they have got us into a huge mess.
19.) 30 Jun 2026
30 Jun 2026 22:19:52
I wouldn't have the confidence/arrogance to use a term such as "no one."
I can only give my opinion and that of my season ticket mates. We all recognise mistakes have been made, but we rarely agree about the quality of individual players.
I will leave sweeping generalisations to others.
20.) 01 Jul 2026
01 Jul 2026 21:55:31
Your opinion aka club statements reworded with a few mentions of your 'season ticket mates'... Well done, Tom, you have match going friends. Proud of you.
21.) 01 Jul 2026
01 Jul 2026 23:12:41
That's very kind but there's no need to be proud of me!!