“I Have a Plan”: Alonso on Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers Playing Together
Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso has revealed he already has a clear plan for fitting Cole Palmer and club-record signing Morgan Rogers into the same starting XI. The Spaniard, speaking at his pre-match press conference ahead of the Blues’ pre-season fixture against Western Sydney Wanderers, dismissed any notion that his pair of England internationals could prove to be a hindrance to each other.
Rogers was bought from Aston Villa last week for a reported £117 million to become the most expensive British footballer ever. The 24-year-old, who signed a deal until 2033, is currently taking a break after England finished third at the World Cup, and has therefore been spared the Australian tour.
Alonso said of the prospective partnership:
“Yes, I have a plan. I have an idea, and I can see them linking really well. We need to have a good mix, good stability players and players that can play with more freedom. And if we get that balance right, and we get those special players in the right positions with good control, I think that we will be more competitive.”
It is worth noting that both players have an instinct to gravitate to the same crowded pockets between the opposition lines. Palmer had a relatively poor campaign by his own exalted standards, scoring 10 goals and providing a solitary assist in 26 Premier League appearances. But still Chelsea’s hierarchy consider him untouchable, and Alonso himself has labelled him a keystone of his developing project.
Morgan Rogers: The Alonso chats behind the Chelsea switch
The record signing has been equally enthusiastic about the methodology that persuaded him to reject other suitors this summer. He admitted that a number of exploratory talks with Alonso were crucial to his thinking, and stressed that the manager’s philosophy was in line with his own instinct for expressive, uninhibited football.
His relationship with Palmer, in contrast, goes back well before either man began playing professionally. The pair first crossed paths in England’s youth setup at the age of 14 and later shared a dressing room together at Manchester City.
There is little sign of Chelsea’s recruitment drive slowing down before the campaign kicks off. Blues are set to announce the signing of France defender Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace for a fee of £52 million imminently. The squad is swelling towards forty players and big departures seem inevitable before Alonso’s first competitive game arrives.
