A priority for Chelsea and Xabi Alonso this summer will be sorting out his centre-back options ahead of the start of 2026-27. Gennaro Gattuso has just thrown a spanner in those plans.
Calum McFarlane summed up Xabi Alonso’s issue at centre-back towards the end of the season. He said that Benoit Badiashile and Mamadou Sarr had not been picked due to a wealth of options at centre-back.
That might not sound like an issue. But with Chelsea now entering a season without European football, that number needs to be trimmed, especially with the Blues needing a boost to their transfer kitty.
One of many problems on the pitch at the moment 🤦♂️
Sarr, Badiashile, Aaron Anselmino, Axel Disasi, Wesley Fofana, Tosin Adarabioyo, and Trevoh Chalobah could all find themselves on the chopping block, especially with Alonso likely to want to make signings.
Jan Paul van Hecke remains a target for Chelsea even with Tottenham pushing to land the Brighton ace. Another centre-back linked with Chelsea is Lazio’s Spanish defender Mario Gila this summer window.
Gattuso confident he has convinced Mario Gila to stay
Gattuso has been named Lazio manager, replacing former Chelsea gaffer Maurizio Sarri who has gone to Atalanta. One of his first moves as Lazio boss has been an attempt to convince defender Gila to stay.
Chelsea were initially linked with Gila towards the end of the season. But the Spaniard’s form has caught the eye. The issue for Lazio is that half of Gila’s fee will go to Real Madrid, and he’s valued at £22m.
According to Sky Sports reporter Matteo Petrucci – as per The Laziali – Gattuso has spoken to both Gila and Alessio Romagnoli. He is confident that Gila will remain at Lazio, but Romagnoli looks set to leave.
“There was a conversation between Gila and Gattuso, and the coach got a good feeling about it. Unlike Romagnoli, the Spaniard hasn’t ruled out the possibility of playing another year with Lazio,” he said.
“Gattuso would like to be able to count on a motivated Gila,” Petrucci added. But, a £22m bid could still see him go. “Lazio values him at least €25 million; if such an offer were to arrive, the player could leave.”
Why Mario Gila would be a bargain signing at Chelsea
Alonso is keen on playing out from the back and moving quickly up the pitch in transition. If he is going to be able to do that, then he needs a centre-back who is excellent at passing out from the back.
What is Chelsea’s best centre-back partnership?
That was before Brighton's opener!
Last season, Gila was in the 96th percentile for passing out from the back and breaking a press by finding a teammate higher up the pitch. He recorded a 91% pass rate in Serie A, but was pretty solid in the air.
Chelsea had an issue when it came to defending from crosses last season. Indeed, they were in the bottom five when it came to conceding from balls into the box. Gila won 65% of his Serie A aerial duels.
For little over £20m, Gila would be a smart signing. Cheap, which helps Chelsea after failing to qualify for Europe, but he’d suit Alonso too – which is more than can be said for the majority of Chelsea defenders.
Receive a digest of our best Chelsea content each week direct to your mailbox
