Xabi Alonso will hope to get off to a winning start when he makes his debut as Chelsea manager later this month.
06:00, 03 Jul 2026
Cole Palmer of Chelsea during a training session at Chelsea Training Ground on May 22, 2026 in Cobham, England
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Cole Palmer in Chelsea training at Cobham(Image: Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images)
Xabi Alonso will only have two-and-a-half weeks or so to prepare for his first game as Chelsea manager. Next week, the new Blues gaffer will begin working with his new players at Cobham training ground before taking the squad to Australia to step up pre-season preparations.
Chelsea will first face Western Sydney Wanderers at the Accor Stadium in Sydney on Tuesday, July 28, before locking horns with Tottenham Hotspur at the same venue on Saturday, August 1. The Blues will then head to Hong Kong to play Juventus at the Kai Tak Stadium on Wednesday, August 5.
Then, on Saturday, August 8, Alonso's side will play AC Milan at the GBK Stadium in Jakarta, Indonesia. The following day, Chelsea will face Johor Darul Ta’zim at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium in Iskandar Puteri, Malaysia, before returning to their training base in Surrey.
Once the Blues are back on the grass at Cobham, they'll have the chance to fine-tune any imperfections before the opening day of the new Premier League season on Monday, August 24. In the meantime, Alonso will be working hard to ensure his side hits the ground running.
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At the moment, all focus will be on rebuilding the players' fitness and establishing core principles, on and off the pitch. Fortunately for the Blues boss, he'll have the chance to work closely with some big names before those who went to the World Cup return from their holidays.
So, with that being said, football.london has selected the Chelsea starting lineup that could kickstart pre-season later this month.
Alonso deploys new-look Chelsea backline
Alonso looks set to deploy a back-five at Chelsea, and many of the backline that face the Western Sydney Wanderers at the end of this month could start against Fulham in the first game of the new Premier League campaign.
Even if the Blues were to sign Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace in the coming weeks, it's unlikely that he'd be available for the pre-season opener anyway, with France expected to go the distance at the World Cup. The 26-year-old defender would probably need at least three weeks of rest, too, so, unless Didier Deschamps' side crashes out of the last-16 on Saturday night, he won't feature – for either the Blues or the Eagles – for some time.
Alonso could, however, give debuts to Mike Penders, whom Chelsea signed from Genk in August 2024, and Marco Palestra, who has just arrived from Atalanta. Pep Chavarria could also be in contention if the Blues manage to wrap up a deal with Rayo Vallecano in time.
Marco Palestra
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Marco Palestra has signed a seven-year contract with Chelsea(Image: Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC)
Dream Chelsea backline vs Western Sydney Wanderers: Mike Penders; Marco Palestra, Josh Acheampong, Levi Colwill, Jorrel Hato, Pep Chavarria.
Caicedo forced to wait for Xhaka debut
Caicedo could be one of the first names on the teamsheet when Chelsea face Western Sydney Wanderers. As it stands, he'll likely be partnered by either Andrey Santos, Romeo Lavia or Dario Essugo, with Enzo Fernandez and Valentin Barco away at the World Cup with Argentina.
Similar to Lacroix, Granit Xhaka may also report late for pre-season, whether that be to Chelsea or Sunderland. Although Switzerland aren't necessarily expected to win the World Cup, like France, the 33-year-old midfielder will be owed a break after the tournament.
Moises Caicedo of Ecuador
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Moises Caicedo of Ecuador(Image: Richard Sellers/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images)
Dream Chelsea midfield vs Western Sydney Wanderers: Moises Caicedo, Andrey Santos.
Palmer and Pedro reunite in Chelsea frontline
Alonso could field a pretty strong frontline in the first friendly of pre-season. Cole Palmer and Joao Pedro were left at home by Thomas Tuchel and Carlo Ancelotti respectively, giving them a full summer to recharge their batteries.
Estevao Willian was also left out of the Brazil squad, though his absence was enforced due to a hamstring injury. As great as it would be to see the teenage winger return to action at this stage, it's unlikely he'll recover in time to face Western Sydney Wanderers, so Alejandro Garnacho or Jamie Gittens could take his place.
As could Geovany Quenda, whom Chelsea signed from Sporting in March 2025. The 19-year-old winger made an excellent impression in the Portuguese top-flight last season, and he's already been pictured at Cobham putting in the hard yards.
Geovany Quenda of Portugal (L) celebrates his goal with teammate Gonçalo Daniel (R) during the International Friendly match between Portugal U21 and Northern Ireland U21 at Estádio Antônio Coimbra da Mota on June 3, 2026 in Estoril, Portugal
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Geovany Quenda was on fire for Sporting last season(Image: Photo by Luis Loureiro/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)
Dream Chelsea frontline vs Western Sydney Wanderers: Cole Palmer, Joao Pedro, Geovany Quenda.
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Alonso spoiled for choice
Alonso could field an exciting team when Chelsea face Western Sydney Wanderers. There's plenty of room for improvement, and the Blues will certainly need to bolster the squad depth before the start of the Premier League campaign, but the new boss has the luxury of working with some key players from the first day of pre-season.
Dream Chelsea starting lineup vs Western Sydney Wanderers : Mike Penders; Marco Palestra, Josh Acheampong, Levi Colwill, Jorrel Hato, Pep Chavarria; Moises Caicedo, Andrey Santos; Cole Palmer, Joao Pedro, Geovany Quenda.
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