Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso has named five players who have had a “good impact” since his arrival. He snubbed Cole Palmer, but praised multiple summer signings.
The Blues parted ways with Enzo Maresca in January this year and appointed Calum McFarlane as their interim manager. They appointed Alonso as their permanent manager this summer. The Spaniard has had a good start to the season, winning both their games.
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Chelsea have also drifted from their strategy of signing only young players in the transfer market, bringing in Danny Welbeck and Jordan Henderson. The former also scored in their 2-0 win over Luton Town in the EFL Cup Second Round. Alonso praised the duo in a press conference and said (h/t Tribal Football):
“He (Welbeck) has many qualities. As a player, you see how intelligent he is, and he links well. Out of the box, he is able to combine, and in the box he is very intelligent to be in the right place. We saw that (against Luton). On a daily basis, he is a great influence for the rest of the players. He trains really hard and is raising all the standards in training. This is something we think is important.”
Alonso named three other players who have made a big impact, saying:
“They help but it’s not just them. Reece (James), Maxence (Lacroix), Morgan (Rogers) as well. Even if they are younger, they have a good impact. That was a very important decision in squad planning – that we were bringing players who add not just on the field, but are ready to compete and who don’t need much time to make an impact. We are happy with that,” he added.
Henderson has yet to make an appearance for Chelsea, as he is recovering from a wrist injury he suffered at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Chelsea set to host Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League
The Blues will face Brighton & Hove Albion at Stamford Bridge in their second Premier League clash on Sunday, August 30. The Seagulls have beaten Chelsea in their last four meetings across competitions. They have scored three goals against them in their last three games.
Brighton also had an excellent start to the 2026-27 Premier League campaign, as they hammered Aston Villa 4-0 at the Amex Stadium in their opening game. The Seagulls then beat Tromso 4-0 in the second leg of their UEFA Europa Conference League playoffs at home on Thursday. They won 4-0 on aggregate.
Meanwhile, Chelsea beat Fulham 3-2 in their opening Premier League game at Craven Cottage. They then beat Luton 2-0 in the EFL Second Round to set up a third-round clash against Leeds United at home.
Edited by Aditya Singh
