With Pep Chavarría set to join Chelsea, the club is pushing past the £350m mark after agreeing five deals before Alonso and six more, including Chavarría, since the new appointment. Chelsea have already solidified their defense, depth in goal, and options in the final third, and there has been ongoing discussion about adding another midfielder, despite the arrivals of Jordan Henderson and Valentin Barco.
Several proposals have circulated. Chelsea are reportedly keeping an eye on potential midfield additions such as Alex Scott or Adam Wharton, and there have been whispers about Alonso eyeing a move for an Arsenal star.
A highlighted headline suggested that Alonso hoped Chelsea would pursue Arsenal’s Martin Zubimendi, a player who shares a Real Sociedad background with Alonso and would bring elite midfield control to the side. Arsenal, having completed the Bruno Guimarães signing from Newcastle United, are in a position where other midfielders could depart, prompting discussions about Zubimendi’s future.
Chelsea have added Henderson and Barco to the squad, yet questions remain about the middle of the park. Doubts persist about Romeo Lavia and Dario Essugo and whether they can consistently meet the required level.
Zubimendi would elevate Chelsea’s midfield, pairing effectively with Moisés Caicedo and potentially giving Enzo Fernández more freedom if Chelsea adopt a certain formation. However, the chances of a high-profile transfer for Zubimendi have cooled, as Real Madrid has expressed interest in luring him away. Madrid reportedly approached Arsenal with a €90 million asking price, and there is ongoing speculation about whether Zubimendi would favor a move to a European powerhouse led by a manager like José Mourinho.
If faced with a choice between Chelsea—currently outside European competition—and Real Madrid, Zubimendi’s decision could tilt toward Madrid, especially given Mourinho’s growing project in Spain. This development complicates Alonso’s hopes of landing the midfielder for Chelsea.
In summary, while Chelsea have completed a substantial recruitment drive and reinforced several areas of the squad, a prospective midfield coup, particularly for Martin Zubimendi, now faces significant competition and potential rejection from the Spanish giants. The focus remains on optimizing the current squad and evaluating whether the remaining midfield options can deliver the balance and creativity required for the upcoming season.
