With Chelsea appointing Xabi Alonso as the new manager of the club, there is a lot of positivity around the Blues suddenly. You would not expect this mood towards the end of a trophyless campaign. Yet, everybody seems to be looking forward to next season, even without any Champions League football on offer and financial boundaries to overcome in the transfer market.
Alonso is widely considered one of the best managers in world football. Chelsea have not hired someone of his level since arguably Thomas Tuchel. And we all know how well the German tactician did at Stamford Bridge.
If Alonso ends up achieving a similar level of success, Chelsea would be well and truly back on the map. But for now, it is about rebuilding the team into a competitive side. That means signing new players, but keeping some of their best ones is equally important. Yet, Alonso could allow someone like Enzo Fernandez to leave on one condition.
According to a report from The Blues Feed, there is a feeling that the possibility of Fernandez leaving should not be completely dismissed. Alonso is believed to want only fully committed players and would not be the type to convince or plead with anyone to stay if their focus was elsewhere.
Alonso does not plan to prevent players from leaving Chelsea
Fernandez has been linked with a move away from Chelsea for quite some time. Speaking after the defeat to PSG, he refused to rule it out. Then, in a later interview in a more casual setting, he mentioned Madrid as a city that reminded him of Buenos Aires and where he would like to live in someday.
Of course, these might very well have been comments without much thought behind them. But at the same time, many chose to read between the lines.
Fernandez was suspended for a couple of games. But since returning, he has not allowed that to show in his performances as he has remained one of the club’s best performers.
Fernandez staying would be the best-case scenario
The goal and assist against Tottenham Hotspur further underlined Fernandez’s importance to the team. He now has 22 goal contributions this season.
Chelsea would have a difficult time finding a replacement for him. So, the best-case scenario would be him signing a new contract and staying on.
One would hope that the appointment of Alonso is enough to convince him to do that. But if he intends on leaving, it looks like the Spaniard is not someone to stand in his way.
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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