Xabi Alonso has confirmed he wants Enzo Fernandez to stay at Chelsea at his unveiling as the club’s new manager.Fernandez’s future at Stamford Bridge has been shrouded in uncertainty all summer, and took a further twist earlier this month when Real Madrid released an official statement “categorically” denying any interest in a transfer within this window.In a press conference at Stamford Bridge, to unveil him as Chelsea’s new manager on a four-year contract, Alonso confirmed that he and Fernandez had spoken.The manager did not divulge any details of their conversation but when asked if he would like the Argentina international to remain at the club next season, he replied: “Yes.”Fernandez is under contract at Stamford Bridge to 2032 and The Athletic previously reported Chelsea would ask for around £120million for him should he leave.
Alonso was more forthcoming on the subject of Cole Palmer, who has been training with him at Cobham after being left out of England manager Thomas Tuchel’s squad for the World Cup.“We’ve had a few training sessions already, and from the first day you can see he’s a special talent, a special player,” Alonso said of Palmer. “It’s not easy to have one of those. You can notice his quality, how he’s able to make the right decision in the right spot.“I’m happy that he is in a good mood, with a good mindset to have a great season. We are looking forward to getting the best from him. We are able to build a strong team, with the proper stability to find the key players. For sure, Cole is going to be one of those key players in the attacking part.”Alonso also confirmed that Alejandro Garnacho is not training with Chelsea as he seeks to finalise a move away from Stamford Bridge.Sources close to Chelsea, speaking on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to do so publicly, said the club is only considering allowing the Argentina international to leave on a permanent basis rather than sanctioning a loan deal.They west London club value him at €50m (£42.5m) after he joined from Manchester United on a £40million ($53.6m) deal last season, only to start 22 times in all competitions.“The situation with him is I’ve spoken with the sporting directors and there’s interest in him from other clubs, so let’s see how it develops, but hopefully it finishes in the best way for all parties,” Alonso said.Jul 13, 2026Connections: Sports EditionSpot the pattern. Connect the termsFind the hidden link between sports terms
