Xabi Alonso confirms he wants Enzo Fernandez to remain at Chelsea

Xabi Alonso confirms he wants Enzo Fernandez to remain at Chelsea New Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso has made it clear that he wants Enzo Fernandez to remain at Stamford Bridge as speculation about his long-term future grows. Fernandez has been linked with a move away from Chelsea all summer. Manchester City and Real Madrid are among clubs rumoured to be interested in the midfielder. However, the Cityzens have already spent £116 million to sign Elliott Anderson from Nottingham Forest, while Madrid have released a statement denying their interest in Fernandez. Alonso has now made it clear that he sees Fernandez as an important part of his plans. Whether that will end any speculation regarding Fernandez’s future remains to be seen, considering he has been giving hints about wanting a move over the past few months. Speaking during his first press conference (via The Athletic ) as Chelsea manager after signing a four-year contract, Alonso revealed that he had already spoken with the midfielder. While he chose not to share what was discussed, he gave a simple and direct answer when asked if he wanted Fernandez to stay. “Yes,” Alonso said. Fernandez still has a long-term contract with Chelsea that runs until the summer of 2032. That means the club is under little pressure to sell. Chelsea will not stand in the way of the Argentine midfielder’s potential departure, but any club hoping to sign the World Cup winner will need to pay at least £120m. Chelsea will travel to Australia on July 25 for the start of their pre-season tour. Interestingly, Nicolas Jackson will be included in the squad. Jackson returned to Chelsea after spending the 2025/26 campaign on loan at Bayern Munich. The Bundesliga champions decided against making his move permanent despite having an option to do so, and Alonso is weighing up the possibility of reintegrating him into the squad. With Joao Pedro, Emmanuel Emegha, Liam Delap, and Jackson all vying for the same position, Chelsea must decide which of the latter trio to cash in on this summer.