Xabi Alonso has officially started his role as Chelsea head coach with two new signings also at Cobham on Wednesday
13:55, 01 Jul 2026Updated 14:03, 01 Jul 2026
Xabi Alonso has been joined by two new Chelsea signings on his first day at Cobham
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Xabi Alonso has been joined by two new Chelsea signings on his first day at Cobham(Image: (Photo by Alvaro Medranda/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images))
Geovany Quenda has joined Dastan Satpayev as a new Chelsea signing spotted at Cobham training ground. With Xabi Alonso officially starting his role as head coach today (July 1), it seems as though other new faces for the Blues are also present.
Pre-season does not start for another nine days, as confirmed by Chelsea, but players joining on pre-agree deals look to already be in the building with Satpayev pictured alongside FC Kairat owner Kairat Boranbayev and Chelsea sporting director Joe Shields.
He has also been captured in the gym doing squats, with Quenda spotted in the background of that footage. The versatile 19-year-old agreed to join Chelsea in March last year in a deal with Sporting CP that also saw Dario Essugo make the switch.
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Quenda however, remained in Portugal for the 2025/26 campaign where he scored six goals and grabbed nine assists from 32 appearances across several competitions.
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Considering he missed four months with a broken metatarsal, those stars are particularly impressive and his absence from playing did allow the teenager to familiarise himself with the facilities at his new club.
The appointment of Alonso could perhaps not be more perfect for Quenda as he was superb at wing-back for Sporting in the 2024/25 season with the Spaniard favouring a back three formation. Quenda has since been deployed further forward and on both flanks which showcases his versatility.
Strasbourg duo Emmanuel Emegha and Valentin Barco are Chelsea's other pre-agreed signings set to join ahead of next season.
It is currently unclear what system Alonso will play, but the confirmed signing of right wing-back Marco Palestra from Atalanta suggests he will be reverting to his favoured set up.
Marco Palestra looks on
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Marco Palestra is set to join Chelsea
The Blues are also set to sign Pep Chavarria from Rayo Vallecano having sold first-choice left-back Marc Cucurella to Real Madrid. Enzo Fernandez is also a target for Los Blancos.
Malo Gusto is another player that could leave this summer with the club's former head coach Enzo Maresca, who is now at Manchester City, interested in bringing him to Etihad Stadium.
However, a £75million asking price seems likely to fend off any interest even with both parties open to a Stamford Bridge exit for Gusto following a poor season.
With the World Cup ongoing, the respective futures of several players are unlikely to be resolved until mid-July with Gusto's France and Fernandez's Argentina expected to go far in the tournament.
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