There could be wholesale changes at Chelsea this summer after an extremely disappointing season.
The Blues finished in 10th place in the Premier League and failed to win a single trophy, falling short in the FA Cup final against Manchester City.
Whatever happens in the summer, Xabi Alonso is going to have a huge say, with the Spaniard being handed the role of manager instead of head coach.
However, despite some fan criticism and talk that he is willing to sell him, there is one Chelsea star that Alonso should be looking to retain if there is indeed a clear-out at Stamford Bridge.
Malo Gusto of Chelsea
Photo by Shaun Brooks – CameraSport via Getty Images
Malo Gusto could be a very useful player for Xabi Alonso
It has been reported that Alonso is prepared to offload Malo Gusto in the upcoming transfer window. Some Chelsea supporters would not be against that.
The Chelsea Chronicle recently asked Chelsea fans via TalkingPoints who the team’s biggest underperformer has been this term.
While Liam Delap was the most popular answer, one supporter did not hesitate to say Chelsea’s right-back.
That feels a bit harsh, as the defender has probably been one of Chelsea’s more consistent performers this season. Going forward, he could become quite a useful player for Alonso.
The 44-year-old is not wedded to it, but it is well known that he does like to use a back five. Gusto is a dynamic full-back who can get up and down the pitch easily, while he has improved his attacking skills. With that in mind, the Frenchman could be a very good right wing-back in Alonso’s set-up.
During the 2025/26 campaign, Gusto scored three goals and provided five assists in 49 appearances for Chelsea. Those were his first goals for the Blues, proving that he has improved offensively.
In his first season at Stamford Bridge, Gusto managed to record nine assists, which is excellent for a full-back.
Defensively, Gusto is obviously not as solid as Reece James. But the France international is still only 23, he has time to improve in that area.
Should Chelsea decide to cash in on Gusto, they should be able to make a bit of profit on him. The Blues paid Lyon around £30m for his signature, and he has gone on to establish himself as a regular at one of the biggest clubs in the world since then. The priority, though, should be keeping hold of Gusto.
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