Players Xabi Alonso Should Sign As Chelsea Boss: Three Dream Targets

Let’s take a look at the players Xabi Alonso should sign as new Chelsea manager

Chelsea confirmed the appointment of Xabi Alonso as their new manager on the morning of 17 May 2026, and the fanbase immediately started asking one question louder than any other: Who does he bring in first? Alonso begins his role on 1 July, having agreed a four-year contract at Stamford Bridge, and the players Xabi Alonso should sign as new Chelsea manager are already the subject of serious debate.

Gregor Kobel, Morgan Rogers, and a commanding centre-back sit at the top of the list, and each one makes perfect tactical sense for what Alonso actually builds. Before he agreed to anything, Alonso sought assurances over the club’s transfer plans, with the defensive line his primary concern, believing Chelsea must sign two new centre-backs as a priority. That tells you everything you need to know about his vision, and it shows exactly where this summer’s rebuild begins.

Gregor Kobel fills Chelsea’s longest-standing gap

Chelsea’s goalkeeper problem is nothing new, and finding a proper number one sits right at the top of the Blues’ summer shopping list. Robert Sanchez arrived from Brighton and cost a pretty penny, but the Spaniard has never truly looked the part at Stamford Bridge, while backup options Filip Jørgensen and Mike Penders aren’t ready to anchor a side at the highest level.

Borussia Dortmund‘s Gregor Kobel has caught Chelsea’s eye, with the 28-year-old Swiss international valued at around €55 million. Handily for Alonso, the keeper has spent his entire senior career in Germany, meaning the incoming Chelsea boss knows him inside out. Having managed Leverkusen in the Bundesliga for years, Alonso saw Kobel’s consistency at close quarters.

Kobel has been a massive reason why Dortmund conceded just 28 goals this season, the second-best defensive record in the Bundesliga behind Bayern Munich. A commanding presence like Kobel completely alters how a back three functions, giving the centre-backs license to push higher up the pitch and press aggressively, the exact setup Alonso thrives on.

Morgan Rogers gives Alonso the creative engine his system demands

Alonso’s preferred 3-4-2-1 system doesn’t need traditional wingers to hug the touchline; it needs attacking midfielders who can drop into pockets of space, lead the press, and create something out of nothing in tight areas. Chelsea have a long-standing interest in Aston Villa‘s Morgan Rogers, and the club could launch an £80m bid to secure his signature.

Rogers has exploded into one of the Premier League’s most dynamic threats over the 2025-26 season, possessing direct, powerful running with a relentless work rate and lethal output in the final third. Crucially, Villa might be tempted to sell, as a massive fee would help keep them on the right side of financial fair play regulations.

That financial pressure on Villa’s end gives Chelsea a genuine window of opportunity. Rogers is a perfect option for the specific role Alonso used to terrorise teams at Leverkusen, a ball-carrying, space-exploiting attacker who creates chaos and feeds the striker without playing second fiddle to anyone.

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A commanding centre-back anchors everything Alonso wants to build

Crystal Palace‘s Maxence Lacroix is firmly on Chelsea’s radar, and he’s another player who crossed paths with Alonso back during his Wolfsburg days in the Bundesliga. That familiar connection matters more than you might think, as Alonso loves working with players who already understand his tactical language.

Lacroix has been brilliant for Palace and looks like a plug-and-play option to fix Chelsea’s defensive fragility. He brings a rare combination of left-footed balance, aerial dominance, and the kind of composure on the ball needed to play out from the back just the way Alonso demands. At 26, he’s at the perfect sweet spot, mature enough to lead from day one, but with plenty of room to grow under a world-class manager.

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The players Xabi Alonso should sign as new Chelsea manager this summer share one common quality: they all fit the system before they fit the squad list. Kobel commands the goal line, Rogers ignites the attack, and Lacroix anchors the back three. Alonso arrives with the belief that Chelsea contain great talent and huge potential, and three surgical additions could prove him right faster than anyone expects.