Despite not arriving until July, tension may already be rising between the Chelsea owners and Xabi Alonso.
Xabi Alonso does not officially take the reins at Chelsea until July 1, but he has already been promised some control over the decision-making.
Although his physical arrival at Cobham is delayed until next month, Alonso’s blueprints for a squad revamp are well underway. Having witnessed a terrible campaign of managerial changes, his immediate objective is to strip things back and implement his identity.
Alonso already knows exactly what he wants: a squad built on peak-age, proven ability rather than underachievers with big egos.
He has specifically requested immediate defensive reinforcements, driving the pursuit of a world-class central defender and left-back after the departure of Marc Cucurella.
Who do you want to see Chelsea sign for each of these positions? 👀
These are the FOUR areas the club have identified for this summer…
- Goalkeeper
- Central defender
- Central midfielder
- Left winger
Xabi Alonso wasn’t informed about Marc Cucurella’s departure
Of course, we all know that Marc Cucurella has made his way to Real Madrid in the midst of the World Cup.
However, the shocking news that is now being reported by Matteo Moretto, via The Madrid Zone, is that Xabi Alonso was NOT informed by Chelsea that Marc Cucurella was joining Real Madrid.
And it also states that Marc Cucurella to Atletico Madrid was a done deal. The agreement was completely reached, and the documents were being exchanged, ready to be signed. But when Cucurella heard Real Madrid wanted him, he immediately stopped talks with Atleti, and chose Real Madrid.
What did you think of Nicolas Jackson’s performance against France?🤔
He hit the post and scored an offside goal!
When will the Chelsea owners learn?
The Chelsea owners need to get off on the right foot with Xabi Alonso, but their early handling of the summer transfer window is already risking a critical rift.
When Alonso agreed to take the Stamford Bridge hot seat, the owners explicitly promised him a say in footballing decisions, a crucial shift from their previous head-coach model. However, they have failed to do so by entirely freezing him out of negotiations regarding Marc Cucurella’s transfer to Real Madrid.
Failing to consult their new manager on the departure of a starting defender paints a disastrous picture of the club’s internal communication. It sends a worrying signal that the BlueCo hierarchy are reverting to their old habits and will play in the back of Alonso’s mind.
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