Chelsea have officially announced Xabi Alonso as the new manager of the club. But the real work starts now. This has been another poor campaign for the Blues. There is a clear need to improve. And the Spaniard will only succeed if given the right tools. Right now, he does not have a squad capable of competing against the best. But with a few good additions, they might be.
One interesting that has been maintained over the past 24 hours is talk of Alonso’s trust in the current squad. The Spaniard seems to see this as a talented team and not one that will need too many changes.
But at the same time, there is a recognition that some areas need improvement. Hopefully, that will be done this summer. It has constantly been mentioned how Chelsea will be trying to bring in experienced and ready-made players this summer, who will be starters from the get-go. Let’s see if that objective is met or not.
According to a report from BBC Sport, both parties know the squad needs to be improved over the summer. Chelsea are known to be targeting a centre-back, midfielder and forward at minimum.
Chelsea want to strengthen in three positions this summer
Signing a centre-back has to be a top priority. And if Alonso wants to play with three at the back, the Blues might even need to bring in a couple. Levi Colwill seems like the only nailed-on starter in the heart of defence right now.
The midfield will be an interesting one. Does that hint at a potential Enzo Fernandez exit? Or could it be pointing towards a change in the dynamic in the middle of the park? Perhaps the Blues might look to sign a towering defensive midfielder, a profile this squad does not have. That would give Moises Caicedo a freer role beside him.
Then there is the forward situation. Liam Delap, Nicolas Jackson and Marc Guiu have all been linked with moves away going into the summer. Let’s see how many do end up leaving. The strategy has to be based on that.
Xabi Alonso needs to make the right additions
One thing that will also be important is the quality of players Chelsea bring in. They do not lack numbers at the moment. But they do lack players good enough to affect games on a consistent basis.
It will be very interesting to see what ‘ready-made’ is defined by them. Would it be a 22-year-old with a decent bit of experience at a mid or lower table Premier League side? Or would it be someone in his prime who has played at the highest level and proven himself?
A lot will depend on who they end up signing this summer. If Alonso is to have any such of succeeding, the right signings need to be made. The big positive is that the Spaniard is expected to have a say on transfer matters. Hopefully, the new Chelsea manager has a good eye for talent.
Sourav Mahanty
Sourav Mahanty has covered teams like Chelsea, Celtic, Real Madrid, Manchester United, PSG and more over a career that has now lasted a decade. His work has been featured on Sports Illustrated, Athlon Sports, SB Nation, FanSided, The Sportster and aggregated through Bleacher Report and NewsNow. Outside of football, he is also interested in basketball, cricket and professional wrestling.
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