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Newly-appointed Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso lavished praise on club captain Reece James as the star who has the ‘DNA’ that his teammates should replicate.<\/p>\n
A graduate of the Blues’ famed Cobham academy, James made the jump to the senior team after a loan spell at Wigan Athletic in the 2018-19 campaign. He has made 229 appearances for his boyhood side across all competitions, racking up 16 goals and 31 assists.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n Thanks for the submission!\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/template><\/p>\n James is renowned for his pin-point crossing, physical dominance, set-piece prowess and tough-tackling nature. However, he has been held back by a plethora of injuries that have kept him sidelined for nearly 150 games across his senior career. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/template><\/p>\n Despite the injury woes, James was pursued by a host of top European clubs over the past few seasons. However, earlier this year, he displayed his unwavering loyalty and commitment to Chelsea by signing a contract extension until 2032.<\/p>\n Alonso, who joined Chelsea after being sacked by Real Madrid mid-way through the 2025-26 season, heaped praise on the English defender’s mentality and ability. In an exclusive interview with Sky Sports, the 44-year-old said:<\/p>\n “He (James) can do everything. He can attack from inside or outside. He can deliver, he’s good at set-pieces, he has blue DNA, which is very important, and we transmit that to the whole team and new players. He’s going to be the captain.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n James is currently on duty with England at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. He has made three appearances (two starts) thus far and has helped his side make the semi-final of the competition.<\/p>\n According to Sky Sports Italia’s Gianluca Di Marzio (via Football Italia), Serie A side AS Roma have made their opening bid to sign Alejandro Garnacho from Chelsea.<\/p>\n The Blues signed Garnacho from fellow Premier League side Manchester United last summer for a reported \u00a340 million fee. The Argentine winger was expected to play a big role under Enzo Maresca; however, he failed to live up to expectations in his debut season at Stamford Bridge.<\/p>\n He made 43 appearances across all competitions in the 2025-26 season, but only 22 of them were starts. He bagged eight goals and four assists but was criticized for his inconsistent play.<\/p>\n It is believed that Garnacho wants regular starting minutes and is refusing to train under newly-appointed Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso. According to Di Marzio, Roma are interested in bringing the 22-year-old to the Stadio Olimpico.<\/p>\n The Yellow and red<\/em> have made an offer to sign Garnacho on loan for \u20ac5 million with an option to buy him permanently for \u20ac35 million. With Chelsea reportedly seeking a fee of around \u20ac50 million, it remains to be seen if Roma can match the Blues’ valuation.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Italian giants make first bid to sign wantaway Chelsea star – Reports<\/h2>\n