Xabi Alonso rules out January loan for Chelsea winger Estêvão Willian
Xabi Alonso ruled out a January loan move for Chelsea winger Estêvão Willian on Friday, ahead of Chelsea’s Premier League match with Manchester United on Saturday. Alonso said the Brazil international must adapt to his demands before forcing his way into the side.
Estêvão has started twice in 11 games this season and has played a total of 47 minutes in the Premier League, having joined Chelsea from Palmeiras last year for £51.4m. The 19-year-old became a fan favourite after a solo goal against Barcelona last season but a hamstring injury prevented his World Cup involvement, and he returned having struggled for form; he was an unused substitute as Chelsea lost to Liverpool on penalties in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday and earned an international recall from Carlo Ancelotti on Thursday.
“No discussions about that,” Alonso said when asked about a January loan, adding: “It’s no secret that all players want to be on the pitch. When any of them haven’t had enough minutes because of my decision, I have to take the responsibility for that. But everyone has to be ready because in any game they could be important. Este, his training and his attitude has been good.”
Alonso outlined the adaptation process he expects from players stepping up to the Premier League. “Well [it is] in the adaptation to the competition, the process to learn things with the ball, against the ball, how to be more competitive,” he said. “That’s for all the players who have made that big step to the Premier League. I am part of the process to help him. For sure I understand the moment, I understand his feeling. It’s still early days.”
On specific areas for improvement Alonso highlighted decision-making with possession and competitiveness without it. “It’s one thing,” he said. “With the ball is very important as well. That’s sometimes when to take the right decision, what to do in the next situation. It’s to keep the ball, it’s to find the right pass. And, as well, against the ball you need to be competitive. That’s in football and in the Premier League mandatory now. The demand of the Premier League is higher than other leagues because of the tempo. To be there as a teenager is not easy. That’s why to go through this filter is not for everyone. It takes time. Even then there will be mistakes. Mistakes are part of the learning process.”
Alonso has frequently deployed a 3-4-2-1 system with Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers operating as No 10s, and he said Estêvão could be used centrally depending on the match context. “Depending on the game, the context, he could play more in this pocket position as a No 10,” Alonso said. “But where he has played more in the Premier League has been as a winger. In one-on-one situations he has good moments.”
Alonso also acknowledged he did not use all of his substitutions against Liverpool and suggested physicality had been a factor in Estêvão’s omission after that game.
Chelsea host Manchester United on Saturday, and the squad faces defensive selection issues with Jorrel Hato carrying a back problem and Maxence Lacroix ruled out until after the international break after sustaining a hamstring injury against Liverpool.