Those of you who had forgotten Xabi Alonso’s outstanding technical ability as a central midfielder may have been reminded of that quality by a a video that was doing the round on social media, which resurfaced when he was announced as Chelsea’s new manager, featuring him stinging passes to his Bayer Leverkusen players in training. It was what first came to mind after hearing reports of the Blues’ interest in his Premier League regen, Adam Wharton.
A new dawn at Chelsea has seen BlueCo admit wrongdoing in the transfer market and accept the merit of a ‘manager’ rather than a ‘head coach’. They’ve handed Alonso autonomy after Graham Potter, Mauricio Pochettino, Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior were left in the dark; surprised by which players were signed without their green light or even knowledge.
Marc Cucurella has already agreed to join Real Madrid in a £52m deal and Enzo Fernandez looks set to follow suit.
Italian journalist Gianluigi Longari claimed over the weekend that Fernandez and Real Madrid have a ‘verbal agreement’ over a five-year contract if the La Liga giants can agree a fee with Chelsea.
Longari wrote on X: ‘Real Madrid has a verbal agreement with Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez for a 5-year contract. #CFC doesn’t want to let the Argentine go, but the midfielder will push for the transfer to happen. A first contact between clubs is expected soon. The valuation will be at least 120M.’
The price tag remains a big ‘if’, but chances are Chelsea and Madrid will come to an agreement. Alonso doesn’t want to be dealing with an unhappy Fernandez, whose exit will open the door for a drool-worthy Blues move for Wharton.
Former football agent turned journalist, John Harriott, has revealed on X that Chelsea are now ‘close’ to agreeing a £75m fee for the Crystal Palace star.
Harriott wrote: ‘Exclusive: Chelsea close to agreement for Adam Wharton. Deal worth close to £75m. Player said to want to move to #CFC from #CPFC as he is keen to play for a ‘big’ club. Crystal Palace in separate talks to sign Axel Disasi this summer for £20m.’
The 22-year-old has been heavily linked with a move to Anfield for some time, but Ben Jacobs claimed on Monday that “it would be a surprise at this stage if Liverpool enter the race”.
Tottenham are also said to be keen but a) lads, it’s Tottenham, and b) while Roberto De Zerbi evidently has transfer sway to attract some top players, a battle for a composed, press-resistant, line-breaking midfielder would surely be lost to one of the GOATs in playing that role.
Alonso was reportedly interested in signing Wharton during his brief stint at Real Madrid as the La Liga giants mourned the retirement of Toni Kroos, and will feel – particularly given the imminent departure of Fernandez – that Chelsea also lack a player to dictate the tempo and create from deep to play alongside Moises Caicedo.
It’s the first bit of really positive news in what has so far been quite a bleak transfer window for Chelsea fans, who will be fearing the effect of shocking ownership and no European football next season on their squad as one high-profile exit can often lead to two and then three.
Whether they get the deal over the line or not, it illustrates a clear line from manager to sporting directors to owners in the transfer market. Alonso wants Wharton, so Chelsea are going after Wharton.
And the thought of a Wharton-Alonso relationship, the degree with which the Spaniard can develop the Palace star’s already distinguished game, is quite the tonic at the end of one of the more depressing seasons in what has at best been a turbulent BlueCo reign and at worst a four-year clinic in how to dismantle a European giant.