New Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso was unveiled at Stamford Bridge on Monday and immediately confirmed he wants to keep Enzo Fernandez at the club, despite the midfielder's openness to leaving and a recent link to Real Madrid. 'Yes,' Alonso replied when asked if he wanted to retain the 25-year-old Argentina international, who is preparing to face England in the World Cup semi-finals. 'We have spoken. But, as you can understand, what we said will remain private.' Fernandez carries a sizeable £120m asking price and Real Madrid denied pursuing a move last week, leaving him with no known alternative destination.
Alonso's declaration contrasts sharply with his stance on winger Alejandro Garnacho, who has not returned to training under the new manager. Alonso confirmed there is an agreement for Garnacho to stay away from the first-team squad while he seeks a move, with Italian club Roma among those interested. Garnacho's troubled year at Chelsea—having joined from Manchester United for £40m near the end of last summer's transfer window—reached its nadir in April when his performance against his former club at Stamford Bridge was so poor that some of his team-mates berated him at half-time. United won 1-0, and Garnacho was further humiliated when Luke Shaw posted a photo of a robust challenge on him, liked or commented on by Diogo Dalot, Bruno Fernandes, Matheus Cunha, Joshua Zirkzee, Ayden Heaven, Lisandro Martinez, Patrick Dorgu and Mason Mount. The manager who signed him, Enzo Maresca, left mid-season, and his replacement Liam Rosenior lasted just 106 days.
“Xabi Alonso wants to keep Enzo Fernandez but has exiled Alejandro Garnacho at Chelsea.”
Alonso also revealed that striker Nicolas Jackson will return to the squad for at least the club's pre-season tour of Australia and Asia after Bayern Munich decided against making his loan move permanent. 'Nico Jackson is joining the tour in Asia and we are looking forward to him working with us,' said Alonso.
The 44-year-old Spaniard, who took charge after Chelsea's final-day defeat by Sunderland ended their hopes of European qualification, said the lack of European football changes 'the small details for sure but the main focus about how we want to start the competition in August, it doesn't change much.' He added: 'We are aligned with the sporting directors on what we want to reach. The team is good and where we want to reinforce in terms of positions is clear.'
Alonso entered the Drake Suite, which celebrates Chelsea's league title-winning managers, and called it a 'privilege and honour' to lead a club with such a successful history. He has been training a large squad including Cole Palmer, Joao Pedro and Levi Colwill at Cobham, with only eight Chelsea players away at the World Cup.