According to football.london, Xhaka explained why he did not join Chelsea this summer and remained at Sunderland.

Xhaka was previously a target for Chelsea when Enzo Maresca was looking to strengthen the midfield, but the deal ultimately did not materialize.

According to football.london, Chelsea were indeed interested in signing Xhaka, whose contract with Sunderland is set to expire in June 2028. Sunderland rejected Chelsea's initial £8 million offer, deeming it far too low.

Xhaka was believed to be willing to reunite with Xabi Alonso, having previously worked together at Bayer Leverkusen. However, just as Chelsea was preparing a new, higher offer, Xhaka told Sunderland that he would not actively push for a departure.

In an appearance on 'The Sports Agent' podcast before the match against Arsenal, Xhaka discussed the summer transfer saga. He stated that being pursued by Chelsea was a "huge honor," but he wanted to continue at the Stadium of Light and complete his project with Sunderland. Xhaka told Global Player: "When I signed my contract here, there was a plan behind it, and that plan was to stick to this project, believe in this project, and work for this project.

"I have always told myself and those around me that I did not come here to play for just one season. Of course, it is a huge honor for a club like Chelsea to want a player who is nearly 34 years old. There must be a reason behind it, but my commitment to the club is firm."

Xhaka added: "When I spoke to the Sunderland owner, I told him from the beginning that I didn't feel this project was finished, and that's what drives me. I want to enjoy European football with this club and the fans, and hopefully we will achieve even more after this season."

Xhaka made 99 appearances across all competitions during Xabi Alonso's tenure at Bayer Leverkusen, scoring 6 goals and providing 9 assists. As a key player under Xabi Alonso, Xhaka helped the team win the unbeaten Bundesliga title, the DFB-Pokal, and the DFL-Supercup.

Xhaka stated that adopting the three-at-the-back system in Germany was his idea, even though he had previously played in that formation with Real Sociedad B. He said: "I still remember my first game with Xabi Alonso at Bayer Leverkusen.

"We played Real Sociedad in a friendly match in Spain, and Xabi initially set up with a back four. But it didn't feel right on the pitch. So I went to Xabi and said, 'Xabi, I think it will be very difficult for this team to play with a back four.' He asked, 'Why?' I said, 'I don't think we have the players suited for this back four system.' Then he changed it."

Towards the end of the podcast, Xhaka also briefly reflected on his time at Arsenal. Arsenal signed Xhaka from Borussia Mönchengladbach for approximately £35 million in May 2016, and he spent seven years at the Emirates Stadium.

Xhaka won two FA Cups during his time in North London, but he nearly damaged his relationship with the fans in 2019. In a home draw against Crystal Palace that year, Xhaka was booed by Arsenal fans when he was substituted in the second half.

Xhaka reacted angrily, putting his hand to his ear, gesturing dismissively, swearing, taking off his shirt, and walking straight down the tunnel. He said: "I think what happened that day was a very, very big misunderstanding between the fans and me.

"I believe what I did at the time was certainly not good, and the fans' reaction was also not good. If I could change that moment now, I would, but I can't. However, that moment did help me a lot in the following years."

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