Xabi Alonso has been given the title of ‘manager’ rather than ‘head coach’ to make it clear that he has more of a say on football matters than his predecessors. It is very much a matter of optics. And BlueCo might have done it to show the supporters that they were ringing in the changes after four underwhelming campaigns under their model.
Well, if the changes do come, it will be a positive for the club, that is for sure. Alonso’s appointment is most certainly a step in the right direction. That being said, it won’t make much of a difference if he is not backed in the transfer market.
Alonso must be given the freedom to rebuild this squad in his own vision. Although it has been maintained that he appreciates the talent level of the team already, there is most definitely room for improvement.
According to Simon Phillips (via ChelsHub), Chelsea are gearing up for a major summer rebuild and Alonso is already taking control. He will have the final sign-off on 4–5 new starting XI-calibre signings, while also approving key player departures to help fund the overhaul.
Chelsea could change half the team
That number is higher than the 2-3 ready-made players number that has been doing the rounds of the media over the past few days. And if it does indeed happen, it would mean that Chelsea could be changing almost half their starting XI.
Of course, it is never possible to guarantee whether a signing would be a success or not. Just look at the situation of Alexander Isak for example.
Most people would have viewed his signing as a guaranteed success. Yet, look at the campaign he was having even before his injury, scoring four goals in 22 appearances for Liverpool. Of course, it can work out in the long run. But it is never easy to make that adjustment immediately, even for those who have been in the league for years and are proven successes.
Who could leave this summer?
This question might be as interesting as the players who could arrive. Chelsea do have plenty of players who might qualify. But it is questionable what kind of transfer fees they could draw.
Enzo Fernandez and Marc Cucurella are two players who have been linked with moves away recently. It has been suggested that Alonso would like to keep them. But if the situation becomes impossible, exits would have to be considered. Those two departures, if they happen, could fund a lot of the summer business. But ideally, you would want to keep your best players.
There are names like Benoit Badiashile, Axel Disasi, Tosin Adarabioyo, Liam Delap, Alejandro Garnacho and a few others. They could also be headed for the exit door. But it is hard to imagine other teams would be eager to spend heavily on signing these players. They have been completely out of form.
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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