Xabi Alonso’s appointment did wonders to lift the mood of the [Chelsea](https://readchelsea.com/2026/05/23/chelsea-boss-update-cole-palmer-injury-situation/) fanbase. Of course, already, fresh worrying signs have emerged. It looks like Enzo Fernandez is set to leave. Even worse, he could end up joining direct rivals in the form of Manchester City. This all raises questions about how serious BlueCo really are about turning the Blues into contenders again. In a summer where the need is to improve, they look likely to lose arguably the club’s best player, alongside potentially Marc Cucurella, one of the few experienced starters they have. It makes little sense.
Even if it is necessary to let players go to raise funds, the idea should be to part with those on the fringes of the squad, not the only few making a positive impact. And if this is about those two speaking out in the media, then it is an even worse look for BlueCo, and how they are running things at Chelsea.
For a change, now let’s look at some positive news. Chelsea will need to rebuild the squad in Alonso’s vision this summer. And it looks like the Spaniard has one of his former Bayer Leverkusen players on his radar. In fact, the situation might already be advancing beyond just interest.
According to [Africafoot](https://africafoot.com/chelsea-sinteresse-a-edmond-tapsoba-reunion-annoncee-avec-le-clan-du-joueur/), Chelsea are seriously considering signing Edmond Tapsoba during the next transfer window. A meeting would even be scheduled between the club’s representatives, Alonso and the player’s entourage to discuss the contours of a possible move.
When the outlet contact a member of the player’s staff, they said about the situation:
> Our door is not closed, the coach knows the player well, but Tapsoba is under contract with Leverkusen. If there is something, things will happen naturally. Edmond Tapsoba is under contract for the moment.
It remains to be seen if Chelsea do end up managing to sign Tapsoba. If they do really push for him, one would imagine that the Blues would be successful. Especially as Bayer Leverkusen have taken a step back since Alonso’s departure and have missed out on a Champions League spot this season.
Obviously, defence is one area where Chelsea need to strengthen immediately. So, it makes sense to target a centre-back who Alonso knows well, and will understand exactly how to fit into his system.
Now, it is understandable that a lot of fans might not be familiar with Tapsoba. After all, he is not one of the biggest names in the game. That being said, that does not mean he could not be a good signing.
Tapsoba is right-footed and stands at 6 feet 4 inches. That immediately ticks a couple of boxes that Chelsea would be looking for when it comes to recruiting a centre-back this summer.
He was a consistent starter for Alonso during Leverkusen’s Invincible Bundesliga-winning season. That makes it clear that Tapsoba can be part of a winning team.
A deeper look into his numbers for the ongoing season shows us his strengths and weaknesses. And there does not seem to be much in the latter bracket. He has been immense in pretty much every category.
Tapsoba is one of the best centre-backs in Europe with the ball at his feet. He has also chipped in with 5 goals in the Bundesliga this season. And in terms of defensive style, he seems to be someone who depends more on the defensive side of his game. As a result, while he might not make a ton of tackles, he is in the 98th percentile when it comes to recoveries. But the biggest positive might be that he knows Alonso’s system inside out.
The only complaint that you might have is that he does not win as many of his aerial duels as you would expect from someone who is 6′ 4″. But that is about it.
Obviously, there is going to be a bit of risk involved when it comes to bringing in someone from the Bundesliga to the Premier League. Will they be able to make that adjustment? Quite a few can’t, as Chelsea fans will know well. Timo Werner, Kai Havertz and Christopher Nkunku come to mind immediately. But then, it should not be as big of an issue for a centre-back, to be honest.
All things considered, someone like Tapsoba can be an excellent signing for Chelsea. Of course, they are also being linked with Premier League-proven centre-backs like Jan Paul van Hecke and Maxence Lacroix. One would hope that the final decision lies in the hands of Alonso.