Chelsea are set to bring in Xabi Alonso as the new manager of the club this summer. And let’s just say that he has a lot of work to do. The Blues could not even qualify for Europe, finishing 10th in the Premier League. While the lack of European football does give them a lighter schedule, it also means that their budget will be lower.
As a result, Chelsea might need to get more creative with their moves this summer. And that might mean signing players as free agents.
So, how about looking towards Alonso’s former club, Real Madrid? There might be some options worth considering there. One of them might be available as a free agent.
According to Transferfeed a couple of weeks back, Chelsea were considering David Alaba as a potential summer signing, especially if Alonso was appointed as the new manager. Well, two things have been confirmed since then. The Spaniard’s appiontment and the Austrian’s exit from Real Madrid as a free agent at the end of the campaign.
Xabi Alonso and David Alaba share a strong bond
While there were whispers about Alonso struggling to keep hold of the dressing room at Real Madrid, there are some players with whom he did not have any problem. Alaba is believed to have been one of them.
Let’s not forget that the two did play together at Bayern Munich. And when Alonso left, Alaba did post an emotional goodbye message for him.
So, it feels like they do have a strong bond. And Alonso might view Alaba as someone who could add a lot to this Chelsea team, even though he is nowhere near his best these days.
Would Alaba be a good signing for Chelsea?
Alaba probably would be a squad option at Chelsea. That being said, his experience and habit of winning are something that would improve this dressing room.
There has been a lot of emphasis on signing ‘mentality monsters’ this summer. Well, looking at Alaba’s trophy cabinet, he certainly falls under that category.
If Alonso does go with a three-man backline, perhaps there could still be a role for Alaba in the team as well. Let’s see whether the report about interest turns out to be accurate or not.
Of course, one cannot overlook the fact that Alaba is very much in the twilight of his career. He would not be a statement signing on the part of Chelsea at this point.
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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