Xabi Alonso becoming the next Chelsea manager has lifted the mood of the fanbase instantly. He is the one that the majority wanted. And BlueCo have gone out and gotten him. Now, the time has come for them to back him in the summer transfer window. That could mean signing one of his favourites from his time at Bayer Leverkusen.
Of course, Alonso’s reputation as a manager was built during his stint at Bayer Leverkusen. He took over a side that was struggling to stay out of the relegation zone. The following season, they became the first ever invincible champions in Bundesliga history.
Some players had an integral role in achieving that. And it looks like Alonso is interested in reuniting with one of them.
It is someone who continues to deliver for Bayer Leverkusen. According to Pedro Almeida, Alonso wants to sign Alejandro Grimaldo for Chelsea.
Grimaldo was integral to Alonso’s success at Leverkusen
Of course, there is all this talk about Alonso using three at the back for Chelsea. If he does, there are very few on the planet with the understanding of the system that Grimaldo does.
Grimaldo’s output under the management of Alonso was absurd. Now, let’s not forget, he is a left-back or a wing-back.
Under Alonso, in 99 games, he had 49 goal contributions. Yes, that is a wing-back either scoring or assisting almost every other game. Most strikers would be content with that record.
So, if Alonso wants to play with wing-backs at Chelsea as well, he could not sign anybody better than Grimaldo, even though he is 30 years of age, not the profile the Blues are known for targeting.
Why Grimaldo could be an excellent addition for Chelsea
Grimaldo has continued to produce numbers for Bayer Leverkusen even after Alonso’s exit. This season, he has scored 14 goals and provided 12 assists. Also, his current deal has only one year left on it, meaning Chelsea could have the chance to bring him in for a bargain fee. It remains to be seen if they make their move.
Grimaldo is someone who knows Alonso’s system like the back of his hand. And while there would be some question marks over his ability to adjust to the Premier League, if he can do that successfully, he would raise the bar for wing-backs in the league.
If Chelsea do end up signing Grimaldo, it might mean the end of Marc Cucurella’s time at the club. Incidentally, the Spaniard has been heavily linked with an exit recently.
Cucurella was one of the players who openly spoke in the media about Chelsea’s transfer policy. Of course, most fans would agree with his viewpoint. That being said, it is a different matter speaking against it while an integral part of the starting XI.
Some reports in Spain have even suggested that Cucurella is certain to leave Chelsea at the end of this season. Barcelona and Atletico Madrid have been tipped as potential destinations for the Spanish international.