Xabi Alonso wants to ‘build the right culture and win trophies’ at Chelsea, so the sporting leadership team at Stamford Bridge need to streamline the squad.
Xabi Alonso and the Chelsea sporting leadership team have a lot of work to do this summer. The new Blues manager will begin his new role on July 1, giving him and senior officials at Stamford Bridge plenty of time to give the squad a makeover ahead of the new season.
When Alonso put pen to paper on a four-year contract last month, he outlined his ambition to ‘build the right culture and win trophies’. The 44-year-old said: “Chelsea is one of the biggest clubs in world football, and it fills me with immense pride to become manager of this great club.
“From my conversations with the ownership group and sporting leadership, it is clear we share the same ambition. We want to build a team capable of competing consistently at the highest level and fighting for trophies.”
Alonso, who stepped down as the Real Madrid head coach at the start of the year, added: “There is great talent in the squad and huge potential at this football club, and it will be my great honour to lead it. Now the focus is on hard work, building the right culture and winning trophies.”
FOLLOW OUR CHELSEA FB PAGE! Latest Blues news, analysis and much more via our dedicated Facebook page
Although Alonso noted the ‘great talent’ and ‘huge potential’ in the squad, Chelsea still need to be ruthless this summer. Of course, the players aren’t entirely to blame for the failure to secure Champions League qualification, but many still fell short of expectations.
In order to ‘build the right culture and win trophies’, as preached by the former Liverpool midfielder, the Blues will need to turf out those surplus to requirements and bring in new blood.
Get Chelsea’s new 2026/27 home kit
£89.99
Nike
Buy Now on Nike
Chelsea have launched their new home kit for the 2026/27 season, said to be ‘a celebration of the club’s Italian Renaissance.
So, with that being said, football.london has looked at what the Chelsea sporting leadership team need to do this summer to ensure Alonso hits the ground running.
Chelsea exodus raises funds for spending spree
As soon as the transfer window opens on June 15, Chelsea have two weeks to streamline the squad, giving Alonso a clean slate to work from at Cobham training ground. Not only will the Spaniard be able to build a solid foundation from a pool of reliable players, on and off the pitch, but the sporting leadership team will also have raised funds to reinvest in the squad.
The Blues should begin by offloading Filip Jorgensen, whom they signed from Villarreal for £20.7m during the summer of 2024. With Mike Penders set to return from loan at Strasbourg and rival Robert Sanchez for minutes between the sticks, there’s no light at the end of the tunnel for the 24-year-old goalkeeper.
Next, Chelsea need to reshuffle the backline. Benoit Badiashile, Tosin Adarabioyo, and Wesley Fofana should all be offloaded, with Trevoh Chalobah, Mamadou Sarr, and Josh Acheampong set to compete for a place alongside Levi Colwill, assuming Alonso deploys a back-four.
Even if the Spaniard were to play a back-five as he did at Bayer Leverkusen, there’s still no room for the trio at Stamford Bridge, with Chelsea in the market for a top centre-half. Although Marc Cucurella and Enzo Fernandez have been linked with moves away, the Blues should try to keep them.
As for Chelsea’s forward options, Alejandro Garnacho, Liam Delap, and Marc Guiu should all be offloaded. With no European football, there’s little to no value in keeping them in the squad, especially with Geovany Quenda and Nicolas Jackson, who are far better options, set to report for pre-season training.
To be sold: Filip Jorgensen, Benoit Badiashile, Tosin Adarabioyo, Wesley Fofana, Alejandro Garnacho, Liam Delap, and Marc Guiu from the first team, as well as Axel Disasi, Tyrqiue George, and David Datro Fofana, who spent the season away on loan.
Estimated revenue, according to Transfermarkt: €181m/£156m
Alonso woos Real Madrid duo into Chelsea switch
This summer, Chelsea need to sign a world-class, or at least close to world-class, left-winger, defensive midfielder, and centre-half, who will significantly bolster Alonso’s starting lineup. Unfortunately for the Blues, having failed to qualify for either of UEFA’s three club competitions, they will have very little bargaining power compared to rivals in the same market.
That said, however, there looks set to be a few big names who want a new challenge. The first of whom being Rafael Leao, who recently announced that he wants to leave AC Milan; Chelsea shouldn’t think twice about testing the waters this summer.
Despite concerns about the 26-year-old winger’s contributions out of possession, he’s an excellent ball-carrier with a good end product, and he could explode in the Premier League. Last season was the first in five years that he failed to reach at least 25 goals and assists across all competitions for the Rossoneri.
Of course, it would be a gamble, but, at the end of the day, beggars can’t be choosers, and BlueCo haven’t put Chelsea – nor Alonso – in a great position to sign the very best left-wingers out there. As a result, the former Real Madrid boss will have to rely on his contacts at the Santiago Bernabeu to bring in a top defensive midfielder and centre-half.
Aurelien Tchouameni and Dean Huijsen, who both worked closely with Alonso at Los Blancos, would be superb additions. With Real Madrid expected to go through a rebuild phase under Jose Mourinho, the former Liverpool midfielder could perhaps offer them a smoother ride at Stamford Bridge.
Once Chelsea add some much-needed quality to the squad, the sporting leadership team need to bring in some experience. The Blues should go for John Stones and Yann Sommer, both of whom are available for free once their contracts with Manchester City and Inter Milan, respectively, expire this summer.
With only one game a week, Stones could quickly become a key player for Alonso, especially if the Spaniard deploys a back-three. As for Sommer, who’s entering the twilight years of his career, he would be a brilliant mentor for Penders and a potential replacement for Sanchez.
The 37-year-old shot-stopper wouldn’t just be a cheerleader, though. He could very easily be a starter for Chelsea. Last season, Sommer played a starring role for Inter Milan as they won the Scudetto, claiming his seventh domestic title at the very highest level.
In: Rafael Leao, Aurelien Tchouameni, Dean Huijsen, John Stones, and Yann Sommer.
Estimated expenditure, according to Transfermarkt: €190m/£164m
