Three players that Chelsea could sign following Xabi Alonso appointment

Chelsea have confirmed that Xabi Alonso will join the club as the new manager on a four-year contract, starting on 1st July 2026.

Reports suggested that the Basque-born manager was keen on a managerial role in the Premier League, but most of the rumours linked Alonso to former club Liverpool in the midst of a dismal run of form from Arne Slot's side.

The Reds look set to back the Dutchman in the Anfield dugout for a third successive season however, opening the door for BlueCo to appoint the highly-rated manager.

It's said that Alonso will have a say on incomings at Stamford Bridge, and we've taken a look at three players that Chelsea could sign in the summer transfer window.

Ousmane Diomande

While Chelsea's approach of stockpiling elite young talent has been criticised since the arrival of Blue Co, there are ready-made first team players out there who may not boast lots of experience. Ousmane Diomande is one of them.

The 22-year-old defender has been a regular started for Sporting CP since the 2023/24 campaign, combining elite ball-playing ability with with a physically imposing frame to make the ideal modern day centre back.

The Ivorian impressed in his side's narrow defeat against Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals, leaving viewers stunned with a defence-splitting pass in the early stages of the first leg.

Alonso is likely to deploy a back-three system when joining the club, and while Levi Colwill undoubtedly has the skillset to take shape in the manager's defence, the need for further defensive reinforcement is glaring and they could do far worse than Diomande.

Morgan Rogers

There's an overarching sense that, while Aston Villa have qualified for the UEFA Champions League, Morgan Rogers will leave the club at the end of the 2025/26 season.

The England international has been a breath of fresh air since joining the Villans from Middlesbrough in February 2024, showcasing an elite ball carrying ability and recording 20+ goal contributions in both the 2024/25 and 2025/26 campaigns.

Alonso utilised Florian Wirtz in the left-sided number 10 position at Bayer Leverkusen, and while Rogers boasts a different skillset to the German, he does specialise when driving the ball between the lines in the left half-space and could combine well with Joao Pedro and Cole Palmer.

Eli Junior Kroupi

talkSPORT journalist Ben Jacobs reported that Chelsea will consider signing 'Premier League ready players' this summer. While Eli Junior Kroupi is only 19-years-old, he is fully equipped to play for a leading club in England's top-flight.

The Frenchman has enjoyed a remarkable debut season with Bournemouth, becoming the highest-scoring teenager in a single Premier League campaign when scoring his 12th of the season in the Cherries' 3-0 win over Crystal Palace. It breaks a record set by Wayne Rooney in the 2004/05 term. Staggering.

Kroupi boasts a similar profile to Joao Pedro, competent both up front and in behind the centre forward. Should Alonso opt for a 3-4-2-1 system, he'll likely be looking to abandon wingers in favour of players who prosper in more central positions. Kroupi fits the bill.