New Chelsea head coach Xabi Alonso has made it clear he wants Enzo Fernandez to remain at Stamford Bridge, insisting the Argentina midfielder remains part of his plans despite recent transfer speculation.
Speaking at his first press conference since taking charge, Alonso confirmed he had already held talks with Fernandez, who has been linked with a move away this summer. The 25-year-old, currently preparing for Argentina’s World Cup semi-final against England, had reportedly attracted interest from Real Madrid, although the Spanish giants denied pursuing a deal. With Chelsea understood to value Fernandez at around £120 million, no concrete alternative has emerged.
Asked directly whether he wanted the midfielder to stay, Alonso responded positively but declined to reveal the details of their conversation.
The Spaniard also confirmed that striker Nicolas Jackson will return to Chelsea after Bayern Munich decided not to make his loan spell permanent. Jackson is expected to be included in the club’s pre-season tour of Australia and Asia.
Meanwhile, Alejandro Garnacho has yet to rejoin first-team training. Alonso explained that the winger is training separately by mutual agreement while he explores a possible transfer, with Roma among the clubs linked with the Argentina international.
Alonso officially began work last week after leaving Real Madrid in January, taking over following Liam Rosenior’s short spell in charge. Chelsea narrowly missed out on European qualification after suffering a final-day defeat to Sunderland, leaving the new manager without continental football in his first season.
Despite that setback, Alonso believes the club remains aligned on its long-term plans. He said Chelsea’s recruitment strategy has been agreed with the sporting directors, adding that while the squad is already strong, there are clear areas identified for reinforcement before the transfer window closes.
The former Liverpool, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich midfielder described managing Chelsea as both a privilege and an honour, highlighting the club’s successful history and his excitement about building a winning team.
Only eight Chelsea players are currently away on World Cup duty, allowing Alonso to begin work with the majority of the squad at Cobham, including Cole Palmer, Joao Pedro and Levi Colwill.
Explaining why he accepted the role, Alonso pointed to the quality of the squad and the opportunity to build a strong connection with supporters while working closely with the club’s sporting leadership.
He acknowledged that important decisions still lie ahead but believes the foundations are already in place. His priority, he said, is to develop a competitive mentality capable of consistently winning matches.
Alonso also admitted qualifying for European competition is a key objective. However, he stressed that achieving that target depends on improving performances throughout the season and creating the right identity on the pitch.
Although still settling back into England after more than a decade working in Spain and Germany, the 44-year-old appeared confident and composed during his first appearance before the media. While he avoided revealing private discussions with Fernandez, he addressed questions over several players’ futures directly, offering an early glimpse of the calm approach Chelsea hope will bring greater stability after a turbulent period under Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital.