Xabi Alonso wants to lead Chelsea back to its former glory, so he'll need to welcome a lot of new faces to Stamford Bridge this summer.
07:00, 20 Jun 2026
Adam Wharton of Crystal Palace poses for a photo with the Laufenn Player of the Match trophy after the team's victory in the UEFA Conference League Final 2026 match between Crystal Palace FC and Rayo Vallecano
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Adam Wharton has been linked with a move to Chelsea(Image: Getty)
Chelsea have a lot of work to do this summer as Xabi Alonso looks to turn things around at Stamford Bridge. The new Blues manager will begin his new role at the start of next month, giving him and the sporting leadership team plenty of time to prepare for the new season.
football.london understands that Alonso will work closely with the Chelsea recruitment team as he looks to 'build the right culture and win trophies'. Upon penning a four-year contract in west London, the 44-year-old said: "Chelsea is one of the biggest clubs in world football, and it fills me with immense pride to become manager of this great club.
"From my conversations with the ownership group and sporting leadership, it is clear we share the same ambition. We want to build a team capable of competing consistently at the highest level and fighting for trophies."
Alonso, who left Real Madrid at the start of the year, added: "There is great talent in the squad and huge potential at this football club, and it will be my great honour to lead it. Now the focus is on hard work, building the right culture and winning trophies."
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If Alonso is to lead the Blues back to its former glory, he'll need to reshuffle the pack. So, with odds provided by BOYLE Sports, football.london has looked at five players Chelsea could sign this summer.
Adam Wharton - 4/1
Wharton, whose contract at Selhurst Park expires in June 2029, played 53 times across all competitions for Crystal Palace last season, scoring one goal and providing seven assists. Playing a key role in Oliver Glasner's side, he helped the Eagles win the Community Shield and the Conference League.
The 22-year-old midfielder largely featured in the double pivot of a back-five formation. With Enzo Fernandez facing an uncertain future and Alonso partial to deploying a similar shape, Wharton could be the perfect partner for Moises Caicedo in the middle of the park.
Dusan Vlahovic - 4/1
Vlahovic, who looks set to become a free agent this summer, featured 23 times across all competitions for Juventus last season, scoring 10 goals and providing two assists. The 26-year-old striker has enjoyed a promising start to the campaign before suffering an adductor injury at the end of the year, ruling him out until May.
Then, he sustained a calf problem upon his return, sidelining him for another month. Joao Pedro will be expected to lead the frontline next term, but it remains unclear who will deputise for him; Liam Delap fell short of expectations, Nicolas Jackson spent last term on loan at Bayern Munich, Emmanuel Emegha struggled to stay fit at Strasbourg, and Marc Guiu was rarely given a chance to impress..
Darwin Nunez - 6/1
Nunez, whose contract at the Kingdom Arena expires in June 2028, featured 24 times across all competitions for Al Hilal last season, scoring nine goals and providing five assists. The 26-year-old striker also enjoyed a promising start to the campaign, but, rather than suffering an injury, he was deregistered during the festive period due to foreign player quota limits following the arrival of Karim Benzema.
Nathan Ake - 12/1
Ake, who will enter the final year of his contract at the Etihad Stadium next month, featured 32 times across all competitions for Manchester City last season, keeping 14 clean sheets. He generally played a bit part role for Pep Guardiola's side, although he was key to the Carabao Cup triumph.
The 31-year-old defender, who can operate at centre-half and left-back, would be a shrewd addition to the Chelsea squad. There's no guarantee that Ake would get as many minutes as he would like at Chelsea, with Levi Colwill and Jorrel Hato likely to be key players under Alonso and occupy his positions.
John Stones - 25/1
Stones, whose contract at the Etihad Stadium will expire at the end of the month, only featured 18 times across all competitions for Manchester City last season, keeping five clean sheets. His campaign was plagued by injury, making it difficult for him to build any momentum and earn a regular place in Guardiola's side.
The 32-year-old defender would be a good addition to the Chelsea squad, despite his fitness record. With only one game a week, maybe two at most on the odd occasion, Alonso would be able to carefully manage Stones' workload, potentially keeping him fit all year round.
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