Xabi Alonso press conference at Stamford Bridge discussing Enzo Fernandez and Chelsea's future

Alonso Wants Fernandez to Stay and Has Already Told Him So

By Declan Farrow - 3rd Aug 2026, 10:00am

Xabi Alonso walked into the Drake Suite at Stamford Bridge on Monday and gave the clearest picture yet of why he is here – and what he expects from the squad he has inherited. He wants Enzo Fernandez to stay, he is cutting Alejandro Garnacho loose with a formal agreement in place, and he is talking about Chelsea with the kind of ambition this club has been starved of for the best part of two years. After the chaos of Maresca and Rosenior, we’ll take every word of it.

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BBC Sport‘s Nizaar Kinsella reported from Stamford Bridge on Monday that Alonso held his first full press conference since officially beginning work on 1 July, having been appointed on a four-year deal back in May. The 44-year-old spoke at length about his reasons for joining Chelsea, his conversations with key players, and his ambition to return the club to European football. He also confirmed – without going into detail – that he has already spoken directly with Fernandez about his future.

Alonso is clear on Fernandez – and the £120m price tag changes nothing

The most significant moment of the press conference was straightforward. Asked whether he wants to keep Fernandez, Alonso said yes – and confirmed the two have already spoken, though he kept the contents of that conversation private. Given that Real Madrid publicly denied pursuing a move last week, and the asking price sits at £120m, Fernandez currently has no obvious exit route. That suits us just fine.

Frankly, losing Fernandez this summer would be a serious blow to everything Alonso is trying to build. He is 25, already one of the most complete midfielders in the Premier League, and the kind of player you construct your system around. The fact that Alonso has moved quickly to personally communicate with him – before the squad has even fully assembled – tells you exactly the kind of manager we have brought in. That is how you retain players who are feeling unsettled.

Alonso’s first message to the squad had already made his priorities clear. Monday’s press conference simply reinforced them.

Garnacho out, Jackson back – Alonso is sorting the squad fast

On the other confirmed departures and returns, Alonso was equally direct. He confirmed there is a formal agreement for Garnacho to stay away from first-team training while he pursues a move, with Roma among those interested. That situation has clearly been handled – no drama, no ambiguity, just a clean arrangement that keeps the dressing room focused.

Nicolas Jackson will rejoin the squad for at least the pre-season tour of Australia and Asia after Bayern Munich decided against making his loan permanent. Whether Jackson has a long-term future under Alonso remains genuinely open, but he will get the chance to make an impression during the tour. That is fair.

The departure of Andrey Santos to Manchester United – confirmed an hour before the press conference began – also gave Alonso his first question about whether missing European football this season forces a more aggressive squad trim. He said the lack of Europe changes the small details but not the core plan, and that he and the sporting directors are fully aligned on which positions need reinforcing. Coming from a manager who has dealt with the political complexity of Real Madrid, that kind of alignment with the club hierarchy is not something we should take for granted.

When asked about the Liverpool question – why Chelsea rather than Anfield – Alonso told BBC Sport it was about timings. He had not been in contact with Liverpool before accepting this role. Liverpool had been expected to stick with Arne Slot when Alonso was appointed, before ultimately deciding to sack Slot after a trophyless second season in charge. His childhood friend Andoni Iraola has since taken the Anfield job instead.

Alonso carries himself like someone who has processed what went wrong at Real Madrid and arrived here with something to prove. After watching Monday’s press conference, it is hard not to feel encouraged. We’ll take it.