Chelsea: Xabi Alonso delivers new transfer vow for 'beautiful' project

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Evening Standard

·21 Mei 2026

Chelsea: Xabi Alonso delivers new transfer vow for 'beautiful' project

New Blues boss makes early statement of intent as he prepares to officially take the reins at Stamford Bridge

Xabi Alonso has insisted that Chelsea will have a strong squad under his leadership as he brushed off speculation over some potentially major exits from Stamford Bridge.

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Alonso was last weekend confirmed as the Blues’ next manager on a four-year contract and will officially begin work at Cobham on June 1.

He is the permanent successor to Liam Rosenior, who was sacked in April after only three months in charge, and takes over from Calum McFarlane, currently in his second spell this season as interim head coach.

Alonso faces a number of challenges upon arrival in west London, with Chelsea potentially having to recruit new players despite the possible absence of any European competition next season.

Several current Chelsea stars have also been linked with high-profile moves away from the club this summer, with Real Madrid holding a long-standing interest in Enzo Fernandez and the likes of Joao Pedro and Marc Cucurella also said to be wanted by Barcelona.

However, Alonso is confident that he will have a strong group of players at his disposal.

Asked about the interest in those players by Spanish outlet El Chiringuito TV, he said: “We’re going to make a good team.”

Thumbs-up: New manager Xabi Alonso is confident that Chelsea will have a strong squad for next season

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Alonso also insisted that Chelsea’s potential lack of European football next term did not give him any doubts over taking the role.

The Blues currently sit eighth in the Premier League table heading into the last day of the season and seven points adrift of the top five, with their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League ended by last weekend’s 1-0 defeat by Manchester City in the FA Cup final at Wembley.

But Tuesday’s hard-fought 2-1 London derby win over relegation-threatened rivals Tottenham means they now face a final-day fight with Brighton, Brentford and Sunderland for the final two European spots, meaning they could yet end up in the Europa League or Conference League, depending on how things unfold.

Chelsea’s last game is away at Sunderland, and they may have been boosted by Aston Villa - who currently sit fourth - winning the Europa League on Wednesday night.

“No, I was always open to it, and, well, it’s a beautiful project,” Alonso said of joining Chelsea. “Chelsea is a nice project, it’s a very good option.”

After a distinguished playing career as a midfielder at the top level for the likes of Liverpool, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Spain, Alonso - having started his coaching journey at Real Sociedad and Real Madrid - quickly established himself as a hot property in management as he guided Bayer Leverkusen to their maiden Bundesliga title and the German Cup during his first season in his first senior job.

Alonso departed Leverkusen to return to Real Madrid as head coach last summer, but left less than eight months later in January with Los Blancos having lost the Spanish Super Cup final to arch-rivals Barcelona, whom they also trailed at the summit of LaLiga.

He was replaced by former Liverpool team-mate Alvaro Arbeloa, who himself looks set to quickly make way for the shock return of Jose Mourinho.

Alonso would not be drawn on his short tenure at the Bernabeu, saying only: “Real Madrid? No, no, no… I can not say anything.”