{"id":22656,"date":"2026-07-29T15:51:56","date_gmt":"2026-07-29T15:51:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/?p=22656"},"modified":"2026-07-29T15:51:56","modified_gmt":"2026-07-29T15:51:56","slug":"the-18-year-old-thats-just-shown-xabi-alonso-he-can-save-chelsea-paying-42-4m","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/?p=22656","title":{"rendered":"The 18-year-old that’s just shown Xabi Alonso he can save Chelsea paying \u00a342.4m"},"content":{"rendered":"


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One of Chelsea\u2019s remaining priorities in the transfer window \u2013 and there are plenty \u2013 is the need to replace Marc Cucurella at left-back. As things stand, Jorrel Hato is the club\u2019s best left-sided defender.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Cucurella completed a move to Real Madrid on the eve of Spain\u2019s first World Cup game, a 0-0 draw with Cape Verde. Six weeks later, Madrid\u2019s \u00a351.8m signing was crowned a World Cup winner, Spain\u2019s second.<\/p>\n

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Who was the BEST and WORST performer in Xabi Alonso\u2019s first televised game as Chelsea boss?\ud83d\udc40<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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But Chelsea are yet to replace Cucurella, who has been a stalwart for the Blues at left-back ever since he joined the Blues in 2022. A signing Todd Boehly made, admittedly because Manchester City wanted him.<\/p>\n

Now, Chelsea have to find a replacement. Plenty have been linked, including Lewis Hall, Maxi Araujo, Archie Brown and Alvaro Carreras. But the main target has always been Rayo Vallecano\u2019s Pep Chavarria.<\/p>\n

Landon Emenalo can save Chelsea a massive \u00a342.4m fee<\/h2>\n

Chelsea have been locked in talks with Conference League finalists Rayo for weeks. But the Spanish side keep moving the goalposts, and BBC Sport claim Rayo now want Chavarria\u2019s full release clause: \u00a342.4m.<\/p>\n

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A huge fee for a player who is now 28. While he has been excellent for Rayo, he\u2019s hardly worth north of \u00a340m. Chelsea need to move on from Chavarria, but it could be they do not need to spend anything.<\/p>\n

Alonso fielded a starting XI that included six Cobham academy graduates on Tuesday and one of those was the impressive Landon Emenalo. The left-back started the game on the left before being replaced.<\/p>\n

He was superb. Alonso will have seen the American-born talent provide an attacking outlet with his driving runs forward, but plenty of solid defensive work too. The Chelsea Chronicle<\/em><\/strong> gave him an 8\/10.<\/p>\n

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It is only pre-season, and the opposition were not special. But Emenalo stood out during the 63 minutes he played, and it will surely tempt Alonso into promoting Emenalo, perhaps as a second choice to Hato.<\/p>\n

Which other Chelsea talents will have caught Alonso\u2019s eye?<\/h2>\n

Emenalo \u2013 the son of former Blues sporting director Michael \u2013 was excellent. His power, his timing when running forward and his control on the ball this morning were at a level expected from a player far older.<\/p>\n

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Do you want to see Pep Chavarria, Marco Palestra or Jorrel Hato at left-back next season?<\/h3>\n

Chavarria didn’t do a bad job in the Conference League final against Crystal Palace<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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There is a real case, and a pathway, for Emenalo to follow Josh Acheampong, Jesse Derry and other academy graduates into the first team on that showing. He has been a regular so far during pre-season.<\/p>\n

Elsewhere, Dastan Satpayev\u2019s speed caught the eye \u2013 scoring Chelsea\u2019s first. He was assisted by the equally impressive Ryan Kavuma-McQueen, who supplied a gorgeous pass to send Satpayev through.<\/p>\n

The star of the show in terms of young Chelsea players, however, was Reggie Watson. Ben\u2019s son was the only player to last the entire 90 minutes and deservedly so. Reggie Walsh also impressed for Chelsea.<\/p>\n

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