Alonso seeks "emotional control" as Chelsea pivot to experience ahead of Fulham trip
Xabi Alonso will open his Chelsea tenure with Monday’s trip to Fulham and has made maintaining "emotional control" a clear priority as the club shifts towards bringing in more experienced players this summer.
Chelsea have altered their recruitment strategy after finishing 10th last season, signing Jordan Henderson and Danny Welbeck among others and appointing Alonso as manager rather than head coach; the club acknowledged mistakes with previous appointments such as Graham Potter and Liam Rosenior. Alonso, 44, arrives off the back of leading Bayer Leverkusen to the 2024 Bundesliga title and will work within an existing structure that includes an extensive recruitment team rather than holding absolute power.
Discipline was a pronounced issue last season, with Chelsea receiving 11 red cards across all competitions and suffering frequent bookings for dissent. Craven Cottage has been a notable venue for those problems: Fulham secured two 2-1 victories during the BlueCo era helped by João Félix’s red card on his Chelsea debut in 2023 and Marc Cucurella being sent off after 22 minutes last season. Those episodes have heightened scrutiny of Chelsea’s temperament ahead of Alonso’s first match in charge.
The club’s decision to prioritise experienced recruits is evident in this window. Marco Palestra joined from Atalanta for £43m and Pep Chavarría arrived from Rayo Vallecano for £16.3m; César Cucurella has moved to Real Madrid and Chelsea experimented tactically in pre-season by alternating between a back four and a back three with the new signings considered for wingback roles. The absence of European football has been noted internally as potentially giving Alonso more time on the training ground.
Other arrivals and targets underline a clearer recruitment profile: Maxence Lacroix, a 26-year-old France centre-back, was signed from Crystal Palace, and Morgan Rogers was bought from Aston Villa for £117m. Cole Palmer is described as rested after missing out on England’s World Cup squad, while Welbeck, 35, and Henderson, 36, were recruited to add leadership and experience to a young squad.
Welbeck’s recent form is cited as a factor in his signing—he scored 13 league goals for Brighton last season and is expected to provide cover for João Pedro up front—while Henderson did not look out of place at Brentford and, according to Jude Bellingham, is someone coaching staff will always go to when there are problems to resolve. Chelsea also made an unsuccessful attempt to sign the 33-year-old Granit Xhaka from Sunderland in June, reflecting the club’s search for more senior figures.
Off the field there are continuing complications: Todd Boehly and Mark Walter are reported to be looking to sell their stakes in the club to the majority shareholder Clearlake Capital, the squad still needs trimming before the transfer window closes, and questions hover over Enzo Fernández, who favours a reunion with Enzo Maresca at Manchester City and has made no secret of his desire to leave. Alonso needs leaders and trust within the squad; he still has to prove the hype is justified but his attempts to change Chelsea’s mentality are presented as an encouraging first step.
Alonso’s immediate challenge comes on Monday at Craven Cottage, where his first match in charge will serve as an early measure of whether the summer recruitment and a focus on experience can produce greater composure on the pitch.