Granit Xhaka has sensationally returned to the Premier League, signing for Sunderland in a £17 million ($23m) deal that has left Germany legend Lothar Matthaus fuming at Bayer Leverkusen boss Erik ten Hag. Matthaus believes Ten Hag should have done more to keep hold of the 31-year-old, who played a pivotal role in Leverkusen’s Bundesliga title run in 2023-2024.
Estevao Willian marked his Stamford Bridge debut in style, netting his first goal for Chelsea during their pre-season clash with Bayer Leverkusen. The 17-year-old Brazilian winger, signed with huge excitement earlier this summer, calmly finished a rebound before kissing the badge in front of a delighted home crowd.
Nicolas Jackson has been left out from Chelsea's squad for their pre-season friendly against Bayer Leverkusen at Stamford Bridge, fuelling speculation over his future. The 24-year-old trained alone earlier on Friday, with Newcastle and Bayern Munich keen on a summer move. The striker has also now reportedly asked officially to leave the west London side.