While Xabi Alonso has not officially started his job as Chelsea manager yet, the Spaniard has already been involved in some big decisions regarding the upcoming summer transfer window
Xabi Alonso will have a big say over Chelsea’s dealings in the transfer market this summer(Image: Silas Stein/AFP)
There are still 29 days until Xabi Alonso officially begins his role as Chelsea‘s first-team manager but the Spaniard is already calling the shots at Stamford Bridge.
Sources told football.london earlier this week that Alonso has communicated with the club’s board that young defender Josh Acheampong will be part of his plans in his debut season. The 20-year-old defender, who is an immensely popular figure among the club’s fan base, was deprived of minutes throughout the recently-concluded 2025/26 campaign – sparking speculation he could be on his way out this summer.
In all competitions, Acheampong made 30 appearances. On the face of it, that is not too bad given his age and status within the squad, but he managed to complete less than 1300 minutes all in all. Plenty of supporters understandably had concerns and believe it would have been more beneficial for Acheampong to have spent the season elsewhere on loan.
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Back in January, Chelsea received plenty of offers for the highly-rated Cobham graduate, from the Premier League and abroad, but decided to keep the defender at the club. Not much changed, though, in terms of the lack of minutes he was getting under Liam Rosenior and then Calum McFarlane.
Almost two months ago, football.london got in touch with various sources to ask about Acheampong and his situation at Stamford Bridge and was told – more or less – the same thing: the defender is not for sale. Senior internal figures within the club rate Acheampong extremely highly, which makes his lack of minutes an even more curious subject.
Now, with the summer transfer window less than two weeks from opening, football.london has been told there is no chance Acheampong departs before the new season begins. In fact, one source described the Cobham graduate as ‘untouchable’, joining the likes of Reece James, Joao Pedro, Cole Palmer, Moises Caicedo and so on.
Alonso has communicated with the sporting leadership team about his plans and desire to use Acheampong in his debut season. We know Chelsea are prioritising the signing of at least one starting-level central defender to play alongside Levi Colwill, who the club are planning on building the back line around, so it appears Acheampong’s most likely route to minutes would be on the right-hand side.
There is, however, fierce competition there, too; with James and Malo Gusto the two go-to picks at right-back over the last few years. Of course, the club will have to account for injuries as well, especially given the fact Colwill recently returned from a serious anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) problem that saw him out of action for more than nine months.
Colwill reminded everyone of his importance to the Chelsea setup when he featured in four of the club’s last five matches of the season, however the defender will need to be managed with caution next term. Acheampong could deputise whenever that is the case, but at the moment he has competition from elsewhere in the club’s defensive ranks.
Of course, we are yet to know the final pecking order under Alonso and often with managers, it is not as black and white as that. Mamadou Sarr needs to be loaned out, unless Alonso decides he will use the Senegal international regularly. Chelsea decided to bring Sarr back from his loan with sister club Strasbourg in January but the defender barely played when back at Stamford Bridge.
Aaron Anselmino’s season on loan at Borussia Dortmund and then Strasbourg was massively disrupted by injuries. The Argentine defender, who has big admirers within Chelsea, should be sent out on loan again as he looks to keep himself fit and play more often to gain first-team experience.
Then there’s the senior centre-back conundrum. Benoit Badiashile barely got a look-in last season. His time at Chelsea has been enormously hampered by consistent muscular injuries and it has undoubtedly had a huge impact on the defender finding any sort of rhythm. That being said, when he has been on the pitch, consistency has been a big issue. Chelsea could look to move the Frenchman on this summer dependant on the fee they are offered.
Tosin Adarabioyo, too, sees his future at the club in doubt. The former Fulham centre-back has just two years remaining on his contract. Any value he currently has may be lost if Chelsea decide to hold on for another season.
Wesley Fofana‘s attitude and mentality has caused some debate online and it would not shock you if Chelsea look to cash in on the Frenchman in the coming months. There has been huge emphasis put on a ‘culture reset’ at Stamford Bridge, with Alonso at the helm, and that is why Fofana’s future has to be in doubt given he received the most red cards (two) in the Chelsea squad last season.
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