Xabi Alonso
Xabi Alonso has played a massive part in Chelsea's transfer business this summer(Image: Adrian Dennis/AFP)
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Xabi Alonso has claimed Chelsea were missing experience and composure in their squad before the double signing of Jordan Henderson and Danny Welbeck earlier this summer.
Ever since BlueCo bought the Blues in May 2022, the majority of the consortium's transfer business - in terms of incomings - has been adding young, undeveloped talent. Chelsea, however, were slammed last season for a lack of maturity in the squad and a failure to react positively to adversity while out on the pitch.
Alonso was appointed Chelsea manager earlier in the year and started his job on July 1. The Spaniard has more than played his part, alongside the club's five-strong team of sporting directors and majority owner Behdad Eghbali, when it comes to the Blues' recruitment.
After liaising with Chelsea's sporting leadership team, Alonso suggested bringing in some experience. The Blues tried, but failed, to sign 33-year-old Granit Xhaka but have since added Henderson, 36, and Welbeck, 35, to their ranks.
Chelsea secured the signing of Henderson on a free transfer after Brentford struck a gentleman's agreement with the former Liverpool captain to terminate his contract at the Gtech Community Stadium. The Blues added Welbeck for a minimal fee, sources say, although it has officially gone down as an undisclosed figure.
Alonso has been Chelsea's slight shift in approach and why he thinks it will benefit the squad in the upcoming season.
In an interview with Men in Blazers, Alonso said: "For me, as I've said before, [the squad has] potential and I really like the squad but there were some things we could improve and I analysed from the outside and after talking with people in the club; the players, what they were missing.
Jordan Henderson signs for Chelsea
Jordan Henderson signs for Chelsea
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"For sure, we need to have the right balance in everything. The right balance in physicality, the right balance in talent and experience. You need to have the right balance in players you need to develop, and to develop this maturity.
"Nothing is perfect but we have come into a moment where we have done things in a logical way when it comes to football and now we are at a good starting point for this new project.
"There was plenty of talent. I was missing this composure, the minutes to go through difficult moments, this experience to know how to deal [with things] when things weren't going your way. And that leadership to help the young ones - this is no secret in football. Young ones, they need support and this support normally comes with players with more minutes and more experience in their legs."
Elsewhere, Chelsea have also added 28-year-old Pep Chavarria and Maxence Lacroix, 26, to their ranks, both of whom made their unofficial debut in Saturday's pre-season friendly victory over Real Sociedad at Stamford Bridge. Morgan Rogers, who is only 24, also has a lot of experience - crucially, in the Premier League - under his belt at a young age after Chelsea splashed out a club-record £117million for his signature last month.
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