Xabi Alonso is not a man given to public displays of frustration, but behind the scenes at Leverkusen he is pushing hard for a specific attacking prof...
Xabi Alonso is not a man given to public displays of frustration, but behind the scenes at Leverkusen he is pushing hard for a specific attacking profile to complete his puzzle. As Chelsea circle their prey once more, the Bundesliga champions find themselves in an uncomfortable staring contest with a Premier League giant.Sunderland's rejection of Chelsea's opening offer for Granit Xhaka raised a few eyebrows when the news broke earlier this week. Some saw it as a routine opening gambit, others as a sign of weakness from a club that has spent heavily without obvious direction. But my information, first shared right here with GoalZaza, suggests the North London club are merely recalibrating. The next bid will be improved, and it will land soon.What makes this intriguing is the chess match playing out beneath the surface. Chelsea need a midfielder who can sit deep, dictate tempo, and protect a back four that has too often been exposed in transitional play. Xhaka, despite his age, offers that rare combination of positional discipline and line breaking passes that Mauricio Pochettino's system demands. Alonso, meanwhile, sees a player who could add steel to a Leverkusen midfield that can sometimes be overrun by athletic opposition.The denial from Sunderland's camp Standard fare. We all know how this works. A club rejects, the selling club negotiates, and eventually a compromise emerges. The real question is whether the player himself actively wants the move. Xhaka's body language in recent weeks has been interesting. He has looked more engaged, more vocal. That is the sign of a footballer who knows his future is being debated.If Chelsea can get this over the line, they plug a gap that has been yawning since the start of the campaign. If Alonso wins the tug of war, he keeps a key piece of his tactical jigsaw. Right now, it feels like a game of patience. But in the transfer market, patience rarely pays unless you have a bigger wallet. Chelsea have that. And they are not afraid to use it.
