Xabi Alonso has not stopped asking Chelsea for £47m Pep Chavarria alternative

Chelsea are using Yan Diomande and Bradley Barcola as a yardstick for Pedro Neto…

But the Spanish side continue to move the goalposts. Chelsea are willing to pay a certain amount, and Rayo were initially open to a deal, only for Rayo to change their mind and request his release clause.

Chavarria’s release clause is believed to be worth north of £40m, and for a 28-year-old, it feels unlikely BlueCo would ever sign off on such an investment. Now, Alvaro Carreras looks the likeliest alternative.

Xabi Alonso keeps asking Chelsea about Alvaro Carreras

The Blues have constantly been linked other left-backs, ranging from Jesse Derry’s Sporting teammate Maxi Araujo, to a return for Lewis Hall and even Fenerbahce’s English left-sided flyer Archie Brown.

But according to Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo, Alonso keeps on requesting Chelsea to sign the same player. He wants a reunion with his old Real Madrid left-back Alvaro Carreras in the coming weeks.

Carreras only joined Madrid for £47m from Benfica last summer. He started superbly under Alonso, but after the current Chelsea manager’s sacking, Carreras was replaced in the side by left-back Fran Garcia.

Mundo Deportivo say Alonso would love to have Carreras under his wing again, and the report states that the ‘next few weeks’ will be crucial in determining whether Carreras will leave Real Madrid, or stay put.

What is Real Madrid’s stance on selling Alvaro Carreras

The signing of Cucurella, who will expect to start under Jose Mourinho, means Real Madrid now have four senior left-backs. Alongside Cucurella, there is Carreras, the experienced Ferland Mendy, and Fran Garcia.

Why shouldn’t Alvaro Carreras replace Marc Cucurella? He looks ideal!

The Real Madrid star is one left-back Chelsea are thought to be considering after Cucurella’s exit 💭

At the end of last season, Garcia was considered first choice. Mourinho would surely prefer to keep Garcia as back-up to Cucurella, leaving Carreras and Mendy available for a possible departure in the summer.

Reports say Madrid are open to cashing in on Carreras, but it depends on a move. Anything above £40m would see Madrid win a Financial Fair Play profit, but they will want more than what they paid to sign him.

If Chelsea table an offer in the region of £50m-£55m, then Alonso could well reunite with Carreras. It depends if Chelsea are willing to go as high as that, and spend all of Cucurella’s cash on the defender.