Xabi Alonso downplays Chelsea expectations amid squad overhaul

Xabi Alonso faced the press in Hong Kong this week and tried to play down the increasing expectations on Chelsea, saying the club’s overarching mission this season was to “have the feeling that we are competitive, that we deserve to fight for important things”.

Still, after four years of lavish spending under the club’s BlueCo ownership returned only two trophies, Chelsea’s 180-degree change in recruitment policy, coupled with the hiring of Alonso, has raised the question over whether this is the year they spend their way to the Premier League title.

A club does not pay £117 million (US$157.5 million) for a player, as Chelsea have to acquire Morgan Rogers, to finish among the nearly men.

Equally, the pivot from not buying a player aged 26 or older since 2022, to this summer purchasing 26-year-old defender Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace for £52 million, then doubling down with the additions of Danny Welbeck and Jordan Henderson, 35 and 36, respectively, is illustrative of BlueCo’s belated recognition that, in the immortal words of Alan Hansen, “you can’t win anything with kids”.

Last season, Chelsea’s callow squad took to calling Tosin Adarabioyo, the 28-year-old defender, “uncle”.

That the Manchester United team Hansen was talking about won the Premier League and FA Cup double does not diminish the former Liverpool defender’s point. In that 1995-96 Old Trafford side the youthful David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville had old stagers Eric Cantona, Steve Bruce, Denis Irwin and Peter Schmeichel for company.