‘Our goal…’ – Bayer Leverkusen chief reacts as Sunderland reportedly table opening Granit Xhaka transfer bid
Bayer Leverkusen’s Sporting Managing Director, Simon Rolfes, has outlined the club’s desire to retain the services of reported Sunderland transfer target Granit Xhaka this summer.
The Black Cats have been heavily linked with an ambitious swoop for the 32-year-old in recent days, and according to German outlet Bild, have even gone as far as to submit an official bid for his signature.
While the publication stop short of detailing exactly how much Sunderland offered for the player, it is understood that the fee was some way beneath the £17.3 million that Leverkusen are demanding for the Swiss international.
What has Simon Rolfes said about Granit Xhaka’s transfer future amid ongoing Sunderland links?
As quoted by Bild, he said: “Granit is a very important player for us – for the team and for the club. Our main interest is to keep him. Sure, there is interest in him, we need to talk to the player to find out what his ambitions are. But one thing is clear: a transfer would only happen if it was a win-win situation.”
He added: “We still have three years left on the player’s contract and are very happy with him. We have big goals for the next few years. Therefore, a transfer can only take place if it’s good for all parties. We’ll have to wait and see. But our goal is for Granit to stay with us.”
Speaking recently, Rolfes also stated: “There is interest, but nothing has become concrete so far. Of course, we’re now in the phase where we’re finalising the squad – that’s obvious. Granit plays an important role in that, which is why it certainly won’t be an issue that drags on throughout the entire transfer window.
“There will still be some changes in the squad overall. But at some point, the squad has to be 95 percent complete – and Granit is an important part of that. So there will definitely be a decision sooner rather than later.”
For his part, Xhaka has remained non-committal on his future. Addressing a recent exodus of talent from Leverkusen while away on international last month, he said: “I already experienced a major upheaval at Arsenal in 2019. That takes a lot of energy and I’m no longer 25. I’ll be 33 in September, and of course, the players who are leaving or have left are a huge loss, definitely because they were extremely important for the team. With Simon Rolfes and Fernando Carro, we have enough players who can hopefully get the team back to that level. Whether it’s with or without me is another question. But as of today, I’m here. We’re happy and that’s what matters.
“I haven’t played everywhere yet. Of course, you think about it but as I said, my mind is far away. I have my family and my management to take care of such things. And when the time comes and you have an offer on the table, then you start thinking about it. And when the time comes for a transfer to take place, I’ll definitely let you know.”
