Updated: 6 Jun 2026 07:10 BST |
6 min read
Xabi Alonso will begin his role as Chelsea manager on 1 July and it’s understood that he will play a pivotal role in their transfer business during the upcoming summer window.
The Spaniard is the first ‘manager’ Chelsea have appointed since Jose Mourinho back in 2013 and it has been widely reported that he will have far more influence on transfers than his predecessors Liam Rosenior and Enzo Maresca.
The Blues have earmarked the likes of Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa), Jan Paul van Hecke (Brighton & Hove Albion) and Jarrod Bowen (West Ham United) as some of their top targets for the summer, amid their pursuit of players with proven Premier League experience, but their failure to qualify for any European competition promises to complicate their business.
The main issue with no European football is the reduction in fixtures Chelsea will have next season. On the face of it, that should be a positive, given the extra workload their first-team squad was faced with last year due to their participation at the Club World Cup. However, it will play a major role in their summer business.
With fewer matches on the schedule, Chelsea simply need a smaller squad and a host of sales will need to be finalised before Transfer Deadline Day ends on 1 September.
The likes of Axel Disasi, Benoit Badiashile, Tyrique George, David Datro Fofana, Filip Jorgensen and Alejandro Garnacho are all expected to depart, while the Blues are also expected to sanction the permanent sale of either Liam Delap or Nicolas Jackson.
Strasbourg striker Emmanuel Emegha will arrive at Stamford Bridge in July and with Joao Pedro set to retain his place as Chelsea’s first-choice centre forward, it’s possible that both Delap and Jackson could be sold permanently.
However, it’s reported that Chelsea will look to keep one of them in their first-team squad, with Jackson set to be given the chance to impress Alonso in pre-season following confirmation that Bayern Munich have decided against triggering their €65 million option-to-buy clause.
Liam Delap vs Nicolas Jackson: The easiest transfer decision of Xabi Alonso’s career
Jackson spent two years as Chelsea’s preferred striker following his arrival from Villarreal, before being completely cast aside last summer after the signings of Pedro and Delap.
Two red cards in quick succession at the end of last season, versus Newcastle United and Flamengo, and a breakdown in his relationship with Maresca ultimately saw Chelsea place him up for sale. A permanent transfer couldn’t be finalised, however, and he eventually joined Bayern on a temporary basis.
At the Allianz Arena, Jackson unsurprisingly failed to usurp Harry Kane as Vincent Kompany’s favoured striker, but he still scored 11 goals in just 1,320 minutes across all competitions during the 2025-26 season.
Delap, by contrast, endured a torrid campaign at Stamford Bridge. He only scored twice in 1,601 minutes of action for the Blues, while he ended the season with seven yellow cards.
His debut season at the club was hampered by a hamstring injury he picked up against Fulham in August and a dislocated shoulder he suffered versus Bournemouth in December, but Delap didn’t help himself throughout the campaign.
He was sent off against Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Carabao Cup in October, which Maresca described as “very stupid” and “embarrassing”, while he instigated the physical battle with Marcos Senesi against Bournemouth, which caused his shoulder injury.
The former England U21 international often looked more interested in fighting the opposition centre-back than having a positive influence on Chelsea’s attack and the Blues never saw the frightening attacker that caused so many problems for Ipswich Town in 2024-25.
The drop-off from Pedro to Delap was simply too vast for a team of Chelsea’s stature last term, and if it’s a battle between Jackson and Delap, it’s not even a question.
While Delap has just three goals in 47 appearances for Chelsea and is arguably yet to produce an above-average performance for the club, Jackson is a known entity and he is currently a far better player.
The Senegal star has scored 30 goals in 81 games for Chelsea and his almost telepathic on-pitch relationship with Cole Palmer is another reason why Alonso simply must choose to offload Delap and keep Jackson at Stamford Bridge next season.
Palmer hasn’t looked like the same player since Jackson’s exit and while this is mostly due to an ongoing pubalgia injury, there’s no doubt that he would benefit if the 24-year-old returns to the Chelsea fold over the summer.
Jackson is also capable of playing as a left winger if required and there is a back catalogue of evidence to suggest that he would be a far more useful asset for a goal-shy Chelsea team next season than Delap.
Ultimately, Alonso must choose between a dynamic forward who has excellent link-up play, works well with Palmer and has proven himself at Chelsea, or a centre forward with limited goal threat and a tendency to fight with opponents, rather than find the back of the net. As such, it’s likely to be the easiest transfer decision of his career.
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