Xabi Alonso has already had plenty to deal with as Chelsea manager. The gaffer arrived this summer and has had to deal with an enormous squad, with players drip-feeding back into pre-season.
Alonso’s work in the transfer market has been hampered. New signings are arriving regularly even though the Blues have only signed two since his confirmation as manager, in Marco Palestra and Morgan Rogers.
Danny Welbeck to Chelsea out of nowhere! Share your thoughts below 😱
Aside from Rogers and Palestra, Geovany Quenda, Valentin Barco, Emmanuel Emegha, Dastan Satpayev, Mike Penders and plenty of other players are set to arrive. Plenty of loanees are returning as well.
It leaves Alonso with some tough decisions to make. Chelsea not only need to sell given they lack the financial boost of Europe, but their squad is far too big for a side not competing in Europe next term.
But Alonso is still working on new signings. He has not stopped telling Chelsea to sign Alvaro Carreras, and now, Chelsea are in ‘advanced talks’ to sign Danny Welbeck. A surprise, given the striker’s age.
Fabrizio Romano reports Chelsea duo could be offloaded
With Welbeck set to arrive as Alonso’s third addition of the summer, it leaves Chelsea fans asking the same question. What about Chelsea’s plethora of strikers already in situ at Stamford Bridge?
Liam Delap has been strongly linked with an exit, amid reports five Premier League clubs want to sign the former Man City man. Emmanuel Emegha has arrived at the club from BlueCo’s Strasbourg this summer.
Welbeck’s arrival has seen Fabrizio Romano report that Chelsea would green light the exits of both Delap and Emegha this summer, if the price was right. It could see Emegha leave without making his debut.
Romano said on X: “Liam Delap and Emmanuel Emegha are not untouchable for Chelsea this summer. Exits under consideration on the club side in case of good proposals in the next weeks.”
If Chelsea cash in on Emegha, not only would it see the Dutchman leave Chelsea without making his debut, but it would also see the forward leave in the same summer in which he finally arrived at Chelsea.
Welbeck in, Delap and Emegha out: The right move or bad call?
It’s an interesting situation. Alonso clearly wants to sign an experienced striker who provides competition for Joao Pedro. Not many fit that criteria: a striker who knows Pedro well and can get the best out of him.
Realistically, how much is Liam Delap worth?🤔
That makes the signing of Welbeck a smart move, even if only a short-term signing in the grand scheme of things. Delap has failed to show he is Chelsea standard in his 12 months at the club since joining.
Meanwhile, Emegha might have scored twice in pre-season, but there is plenty of reason to doubt the former Strasbourg man; his injury record, questions over his attitude, and whether he is good enough.
Time will tell if it is the right call. But Welbeck seems like a safe signing, not just because he is ageing like a fine wine, but because he can get the best out of Pedro. Delap and Emegha miss out due to that.
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