Football
Football
Chelsea’s Ambitions Tested as Alonso Rebuilds and Key Target Remains Elusive
Chelsea’s new manager, Xabi Alonso, is actively shaping his squad for the upcoming season, with winger Jamie Gittens expressing confidence in the club’s renewed ambition to “win everything.” Gittens, who joined the Blues for £52m last summer, is looking to make a greater impact after a challenging first season and a recent hamstring injury, having scored in Alonso’s initial closed-door matches against Crawley and Bromley. He feels “90% fit” and is keen to impress his “world-class” manager.
Alonso has reportedly encouraged the 21-year-old to maintain a positive approach, take on defenders, and create opportunities. Gittens respects Alonso’s decorated playing career, which included stints at Real Madrid and Liverpool, and recalled the difficulty of facing his Bundesliga and German Cup-winning Bayer Leverkusen side. The arrival of new signings, such as the £117m British transfer record holder Morgan Rogers, is expected to elevate the team’s performance after a 10th-place Premier League finish last season.
However, Alonso’s plans have hit a snag in the transfer market, specifically regarding Sunderland captain Granit Xhaka. Chelsea’s £8m bid for the 33-year-old midfielder has been definitively rejected by Sunderland, with their head coach Régis Le Bris declaring the matter “closed.” Le Bris emphasized Xhaka’s commitment to Sunderland, where he played a crucial role in their Europa League qualification last season.
Despite Alonso’s reported desire to reunite with his former Leverkusen player, Sunderland has no intention of selling their influential captain. This firm stance from Sunderland means Chelsea will need to explore other options as they aim to bolster their squad for the new campaign.
Sources
