{"id":21235,"date":"2026-07-25T09:24:35","date_gmt":"2026-07-25T09:24:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/?p=21235"},"modified":"2026-07-25T09:24:35","modified_gmt":"2026-07-25T09:24:35","slug":"xabi-alonso-makes-goalkeeper-request-that-may-not-go-down-well-with-chelsea-fans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/?p=21235","title":{"rendered":"Xabi Alonso makes goalkeeper request that may not go down well with Chelsea fans"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"post-378435\">\n<div class=\"article-follow\">\n<div class=\"article-sharing google-follow\">  <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"28\" height=\"28\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thechelseachronicle.com\/wp-content\/themes\/grv-media\/img\/google-discover.svg\" alt=\"\"\/> <span>Add as preferred source on Google<\/span>  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><strong>Chelsea\u2019s goalkeeping department is a big talking point as we head into the new season.<\/strong> <\/p>\n<p>The goalkeeping situation at Chelsea over the past year has resembled a revolving door at a busy train station. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-grvmedia-grv-video GRVMultiVideo\"\/>\n<p>Between Robert Sanchez\u2019s heart-stopping distribution errors, Filip Jorgensen\u2019s mid-season injury luck and mistakes, Chelsea simply couldn\u2019t find a settled pair of hands. <\/p>\n<p>Fans spent half the campaign biting their nails every time a simple backpass rolled toward the penalty box. It\u2019s no wonder that many have been calling for signings in that area this summer, just the goalkeeper market isn\u2019t the greatest right now. <\/p>\n<section class=\"grv-talking-point\" data-trigger=\"vue-sidebar\" data-story-id=\"5a9c74ee-9dfb-4c17-80a3-f12c2bcadb5e\" data-story-name=\"Talk Chelsea\" data-comment-id=\"c1d6ae58-c5c7-4bca-b3de-42b9c1a73899\" data-story-slug=\"talk-chelsea\">\n<div class=\"grv-talking-point__inner\">\n<header class=\"grv-talking-point__header\">  <\/header>\n<div class=\"grv-talking-point__content\">\n<div class=\"grv-talking-point__cta\">\n<div class=\"grv-talking-point__title-wrap\">\n<p><h3 class=\"grv-talking-point__title\">How do you rate each of Chelsea\u2019s new signings 1\ufe0f\u20e3-\ud83d\udd1f?<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"grv-talking-point__embed\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\n<div><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"819\" height=\"1024\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 991px) 100vw, 800px\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn1.thechelseachronicle.com\/uploads\/17\/2026\/07\/split-of-four-graphic-2-819x1024.png\" alt=\"Chelsea's signings under Xabi Alonso\" class=\"wp-image-378398\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn1.thechelseachronicle.com\/uploads\/17\/2026\/07\/split-of-four-graphic-2-819x1024.png 819w, https:\/\/cdn1.thechelseachronicle.com\/uploads\/17\/2026\/07\/split-of-four-graphic-2-240x300.png 240w, https:\/\/cdn1.thechelseachronicle.com\/uploads\/17\/2026\/07\/split-of-four-graphic-2-768x960.png 768w, https:\/\/cdn1.thechelseachronicle.com\/uploads\/17\/2026\/07\/split-of-four-graphic-2-912x1140.png 912w, https:\/\/cdn1.thechelseachronicle.com\/uploads\/17\/2026\/07\/split-of-four-graphic-2-600x750.png 600w, https:\/\/cdn1.thechelseachronicle.com\/uploads\/17\/2026\/07\/split-of-four-graphic-2.png 1080w\"\/><\/div><figcaption title=\"(Photo by Glyn KIRK \/ IKIMAGES \/ AFP) (Photo by GLYN KIRK\/IKIMAGES\/AFP via Getty Images), (Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA\/Getty Images), (Photo by Darren Walsh\/Chelsea FC via Getty Images), (Photo by Darren Walsh\/Chelsea FC via Getty Images)\">Photo by Darren Walsh\/Chelsea FC via Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-xabi-alonso-wants-to-assess-the-goalkeeper-options-at-chelsea\">Xabi Alonso wants to assess the goalkeeper options at Chelsea<\/h2>\n<p>As per Ben Jacobs via TheCFCHub on Twitch, Xabi Alonso has asked Chelsea for time to assess the goalkeepers in pre-season before making a reccomendation to the club. <\/p>\n<p>For now, it is quiet, but if Alonso asks for a new goalkeeper, the club may have a look into the market.<\/p>\n<p>Chelsea finished with the 11th-ranked defence in the Premier League, leaking 52 goals, a huge step down from title contenders like Arsenal (27) and Manchester City (35).<\/p>\n<p>Despite starting 35 Premier League games and keeping nine clean sheets, he logged match ratings below 5.0 in painful defeats against Nottingham Forest, Brighton, and Sunderland.<\/p>\n<p>Filip Jorgensen failed to keep a single clean sheet across eight Premier League and Champions League appearances, which included his nightmare outing in a 5\u20132 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain.<\/p>\n<p>Plus, Jorgensen is already seeking a move away from Chelsea, so his head clearly isn\u2019t in it.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\n<div><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 991px) 100vw, 800px\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn1.thechelseachronicle.com\/uploads\/17\/2026\/03\/GettyImages-2265474136-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"Paris Saint-Germain FC v Chelsea FC - UEFA Champions League 2025\/26 Round of 16 First Leg\" class=\"wp-image-357465\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn1.thechelseachronicle.com\/uploads\/17\/2026\/03\/GettyImages-2265474136-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn1.thechelseachronicle.com\/uploads\/17\/2026\/03\/GettyImages-2265474136-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn1.thechelseachronicle.com\/uploads\/17\/2026\/03\/GettyImages-2265474136-768x511.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn1.thechelseachronicle.com\/uploads\/17\/2026\/03\/GettyImages-2265474136-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cdn1.thechelseachronicle.com\/uploads\/17\/2026\/03\/GettyImages-2265474136-1140x759.jpg 1140w, https:\/\/cdn1.thechelseachronicle.com\/uploads\/17\/2026\/03\/GettyImages-2265474136-750x499.jpg 750w\"\/><\/div><figcaption title=\"PARIS, FRANCE - MARCH 11: Bradley Barcola of Paris Saint Germain (not in frame) beats Goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen of Chelsea scores a goal during the UEFA Champions League 2025\/26 Round of 16 First Leg match between Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea FC at Parc des Princes on March 11, 2026 in Paris, France. (Photo by Federico Pestellini\/Eurasia Sport Images\/Getty Images)\">Photo by Federico Pestellini\/Eurasia Sport Images\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-xabi-alonso-needs-to-show-his-ruthlessness-once-again\">Xabi Alonso needs to show his ruthlessness once again<\/h2>\n<p>Chelsea fans should feel anxious about Xabi Alonso waiting to assess his goalkeepers.<\/p>\n<p>As we know, the position was a complete liability last season, so relying on teenage prospect Mike Penders isn\u2019t the answer either, as he\u2019s never played in the Premier League. <\/p>\n<p>Just as the Blues recognised the desperate need for proven leadership at centre-back, Stamford Bridge urgently needs a commanding, battle-tested No. 1 rather than another risky, wait-and-see gamble during pre-season.<\/p>\n<div class=\"see-more-wrapper lazy see-more-open see-more-blank extra-content\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.thechelseachronicle.com\/transfer-news\/xabi-alonso-makes-goalkeeper-request-that-may-not-go-down-well-with-chelsea-fans\/none\" data-type=\"subscribe\">\n<div class=\"see-more subscribe\">\n<figure class=\"newsletter\">\n<div><svg class=\"loading\" width=\"118\" height=\"36\" viewbox=\"0 0 118 36\"><use href=\"#dots-svg\"\/><\/svg><\/p>\n<div class=\"signup\"><span class=\"hf\">Join Our Newsletter<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Receive a digest of our best Chelsea content each week direct to your mailbox<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p><script>grvLoadAnalytics = () => {(function(d,s,i){var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)(0),j=d.createElement(s);j.async=true;j.src=\"https:\/\/www.googletagmanager.com\/gtag\/js?id=\"+i;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(document,'script','G-E7VRWQHDP6');(function(d,s,i){if(!\/callback=in\/.test(window.location.search)){var e=d.createElement(s);var n=d.getElementsByTagName(s)(0);e.type=\"text\/javascript\";e.async=true;e.src=\"https:\/\/static.chartbeat.com\/js\/chartbeat.js\";n.parentNode.insertBefore(e,n);}})(document,\"script\",\"G-E7VRWQHDP6\");(function(){let s=document.createElement(\"script\");s.async=true;s.dataset.domain=\"thechelseachronicle.com\/MFj4XQ\";s.src=\"https:\/\/api.publytics.net\/js\/script.manual.ping.min.js\";document.getElementsByTagName(\"head\")(0).appendChild(s);})();if(!\/callback=in\/.test(window.location.search)){setTimeout(function(){!function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s){if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod?n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';n.queue=();t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)(0);s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)}(window,document,'script','https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/fbevents.js');fbq('init','663509325503632');fbq('track','PageView');fbq('track','ViewContent',{content_name:'Xabi Alonso makes goalkeeper request that may not go down well with Chelsea fans',content_category:'Transfer News',content_ids:(378435,\"xabi-alonso\"),content_type:'post',});},3000);}}<\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Add as preferred source on Google Chelsea\u2019s goalkeeping department is a big talking point as&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":21236,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pagelayer_contact_templates":[],"_pagelayer_content":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21235","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-chelsea"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21235","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=21235"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21235\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/21236"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=21235"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=21235"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=21235"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}