Chelsea used a back four last season, but they could change to a 3-4-2-1 formation next term following the arrival of Xabi Alonso and potential signing of Pep Chavarria.
Alonso used that system at Bayer Leverkusen and it brought him great success. In the 2023/24 campaign, the German club won the Bundesliga title and DFB-Pokal, while they also managed to reach the Europa League final.
To successfully implement that formation at Chelsea, Alonso is going to need good wing-backs, and the club are working on bringing a couple in.
Alonso is spearheading interest in Chavarria, while Marco Palestra should be announced as a Chelsea player soon.
Do you want to see Pep Chavarria, Marco Palestra or Jorrel Hato at left-back next season?
Chavarria didn't do a bad job in the Conference League final against Crystal Palace
If they get those deals done, which is now expected, Chavarria could play as a left wing-back with Palestra starting on the opposite flank.
Regarding the three central defenders, there is a possibility that Chelsea fans could see Jorrel Hato, Levi Colwill and Reece James make up a back three.
Hato and Colwill are both left-footed and excellent on the ball, so one could play on the left side of a back three and the other in the centre. James is brilliant at defending the right flank and right half-space, making him the natural option for the right centre-back spot.
Chelsea could sign Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace, while Malo Gusto is still at the club. They could also be options for Alonso next season.
Who would you start in a five-man defence for Chelsea?
Of course, there is no guarantee that the Spaniard uses a back five at Stamford Bridge. He employed a back four at Real Madrid and Chelsea spent the majority of the 2025/26 campaign using a 4-2-3-1 formation.
However, moves for Chavarria and Palestra suggest that it will at least be an option for Alonso next term.
Defensively, Chelsea were pretty poor under Liam Rosenior, so sticking an extra defender on the pitch and defending with a back five could be the way to go for the Blues.
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