Xabi Alonso officially starts his term as Chelsea head coach, taking over one of the most stressful hot seats in European football in the context that the London team needs to soon regain its position.
As the attention of the football world is focused on the 2026 World Cup, the Spanish strategist does not have much time to get used to it but must quickly solve a series of problems both on and off the field.
4 years after BlueCo took over Chelsea, the club's leadership understands that this is a time when mistakes are not allowed. Less than a year after winning the FIFA Club World Cup, The Blues are facing a season without a European cup spot, while relations with fans are still rife.
After a successful period with Bayer Leverkusen, Alonso joined Stamford Bridge with the expectation of bringing Chelsea back into the title race, while building a foundation for sustainable development.
Unlike many predecessors, Alonso was given the role of head coach with a greater voice in building the squad. The experience and prestige of the former Spanish midfielder are expected to help Chelsea restructure the force after many transfer windows spending heavily but not bringing the desired effect.
The move to pursue Granit Xhaka also shows that The Blues are ready to adjust their transfer strategy, prioritizing adding experienced players in addition to continuing to hunt for young talents.
After parting ways with Liam Rosenior, Chelsea's board of directors also admitted that they need to review their development orientation. They realize that focusing only on young players is not enough and need to add more factors that can have an immediate impact.
In defense, the departure of Marc Cucurella leaves a significant gap on the left flank. Jorrel Hato may be given an opportunity, while Marco Palestra and transfer target Pep Chavarria are also in the plan to strengthen the force.
One of the biggest question marks is the future of Enzo Fernandez. The Argentine midfielder once publicly expressed his desire to leave Chelsea and was excluded from the main squad in April. If Chelsea receives an offer exceeding the £107 million spent to recruit him from Benfica, they can completely consider selling the World Cup champion.
Conversely, Cole Palmer is still considered an untouchable name. Despite experiencing a season affected by injuries and not being called up to the England national team for the World Cup by coach Thomas Tuchel, the 24-year-old midfielder is still the center of Alonso's plan. A complete summer vacation is expected to help Palmer regain the form that once helped him become Chelsea's brightest star.
In attack, Nicolas Jackson is also facing the opportunity to start over after a period of playing on loan at Bayern Munich. However, competition will be very fierce as Joao Pedro, Liam Delap and new signing Emmanuel Emegha are all notable choices.
In goal, Chelsea has not yet found a goalkeeper that brings absolute peace of mind. Robert Sanchez will have to compete with Mike Penders, who returned after playing for Strasbourg on loan. Meanwhile, the deal to recruit Mike Maignan was once pursued but failed because of the too high price.
In addition to professional issues, Alonso also has to solve the discipline problem. Chelsea received up to 8 red cards in the Premier League last season, the most in the league, reflecting a lack of control that has lasted through many generations of coaches.
More importantly, the Spanish strategist needs to restore the trust of fans after many disappointing seasons and controversial decisions on transfers and personnel.
Chelsea once won the Premier League in the most recent season without having to participate in European cups. Although few people believe The Blues are capable of repeating the feat immediately, Alonso is still expected to lay the foundation for the process of bringing the team back to the group competing for major titles in the future.
