Xabi Alonso explains 'next phase' of Chelsea plan for life after Enzo Fernandez | OneFootball

New Blues manager is looking ahead after club-record sale of midfielder

Xabi Alonso insists “phase one” of Chelsea’s rebuild is complete and it is “time to move forward” without Enzo Fernandez.

Chelsea produced a club-record sale on transfer deadline day when they pocketed £125million as Fernandez finally made his long-awaited move to Manchester City.

Fernandez had made it clear he wished to leave Chelsea, and had serious interest from City all summer as his former head coach Enzo Maresca wished to reunite with his namesake.

Chelsea had always insisted they would not sell Fernandez unless they secured a replacement but were left stunned at the last as Monaco pulled out of a deal to sell Lamine Camara to the Blues even after a written email agreement to carry out the £47m deal.

Alonso said he was pleased with Chelsea’s transfer window, which saw them break their own British transfer record for sales as well as signing 10 new first-team players including £117m Morgan Rogers.

“I think that it's a very balanced structure, phase one, that we have made in this transfer window with what we had and where we are now,” Alonso said on Friday.

“It's a good first one. Phase one is completed. It's a good one for now and for the future.”

Farewell: Enzo Fernandez

PA

The Chelsea manager added: “We take all the decisions together. We are responsible for them. We have worked together with every decision, big ones, small ones, because we knew that ultimately the last goal is to have the best for the team, the best for the squad, the best for daily work here.

“We want to build a good spirit, a good team and we have always taken decisions thinking that we wanted to reach that.”

Speaking specifically about Fernandez’s exit, Alonso said: “In football, many things happen and you need to be prepared for everything. With Enzo, we have had conversations, but we always respect what he has done for the club.

“It has been great — we are thankful — but now it's time to move forward. We have the squad that we have, we have a lot of big personalities and players with a lot of quality in all the different positions, different lines and now we are ready to go.”