Xabi Alonso formally takes on the role as Chelsea manager from the start of next month – but a number of his squad are already the subject of transfer speculation
Xabi Alonso has been told he can keep five of Chelsea’s top stars this summer as long as the club moves in the right direction. Alonso signed a four-year deal to become Chelsea’s new manager last month and will begin work on July 1.
The former Liverpool and Real Madrid midfielder is set to become owners BlueCo’s fifth permanent appointment since 2022. Alonso has received assurances he will have sufficient authority to influence decision-making, with Chelsea accepting past mistakes in making appointments have contributed to a disastrous campaign this season.
But a number of Chelsea’s stars are all being linked with moves away from Stamford Bridge this summer after the club missed out on European football next season.
Football.london understands that Enzo Fernandez wants to leave Chelsea in the summer transfer window, with Real Madrid interested in the midfielder.
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While Marc Cucurella is another name who has been linked with a move away, as reported by football.london club sources are much more secretive when it comes to a set price for the defender.
Alonso has been in contact with numerous members of the squad he will inherit in July, including his compatriot Cucurella, who will represent Spain in the upcoming World Cup later this month.
Joao Pedro, Cole Palmer and Reece James have also been linked with moves away, but Shaun Wright-Phillips believes provided the guarantees of stability and progress are given, Chelsea’s best players will want to stay.
“I think Xabi Alonso is a fantastic manager,” he told Betway. “Of course he wasn’t given a lot of time at Real Madrid, and he had a lot of difficult people to deal with while he was there.
“But the way it seems to me is that Chelsea are going to give him the run of the club in terms of what transfers are coming in and having a say in it.
“I think that could be the thing that helps players stay, as he can now use that as a persuasive tool to keep people at the club.
“Players like Enzo, Joao Pedro, Cole Palmer and even the likes of Cucurella or Reece James will want to stay at that club, but they want to know the club’s stability and moving forward at the same time.
“I think Xabi coming into Chelsea will stabilise that. But I honestly don’t think he’s [Enzo] somebody City will go for because they have enough midfielders to play that role.
“They have Nico Gonzalez, obviously Rodri is there, Phil Foden and Nico O’Reilly, who can easily play there. So they have enough players to play that number eight role.”
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