Xabi Alonso wants to build a strong “culture” at Chelsea, and that will mean shedding a lot of players who don’t fit.
If you enjoy Talk Chelsea coverage and want to see more of it, add us as a preferred source on Google to make us a favourite and see more of our content.
In Xabi Alonso’s statement upon taking the Chelsea job, he noted that one of his primary jobs was to “focus on hard work, building the right culture and winning trophies.”
If he wants to build the right culture, he needs the right players. And it’s fair to say the “culture” and mentality of this current group has been questioned after a horrific season. So what can Alonso do to change things?
Chelsea have a long list of sales to make after shocking year
A piece for Football.London suggests he could start by selling a host of players who don’t want to be there, or have shown themselves to be untrustworthy. They list Filip Jorgensen, Benoit Badiashile, Tosin Adarabioyo, Wesley Fofana, Alejandro Garnacho, Liam Delap, and Marc Guiu from this year’s first team squad, plus returning loanees Axel Disasi, Tyrique George and David Datro Fofana.
They estimate that would raise £156m – we’d actually expect it to be significantly more. But as we’ve seen over the recent years of “bomb squad”, selling players is not that simple. You have to find someone who wants to buy them.
We wonder how many from that list of ten will actually be here next season?
In other news…
The BBC have reported that Xabi Alonso has been at Cobham this week to visit the training ground where he will soon be starting work.
Maxime Esteve is one of the relegated players attracting Premier League attention, and Chelsea are now being linked with the Burnley defender.
DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL TALK CHELSEA APP FOR ALL THE LATEST UPDATES – STRAIGHT TO YOUR PHONE! ON THE APP STORE
