Xabi Alonso confirms Enzo Fernandez is central to his Chelsea plans

New Chelsea head coach Xabi Alonso has officially begun his tenure at Stamford Bridge. Among his first major tasks was addressing the future of Enzo Fernandez, a subject of significant speculation in recent weeks.

The 25-year-old Argentine, valued at 120 million pounds, had been heavily linked with a move to Real Madrid. However, the Spanish giants officially denied any interest in the player, and Alonso has now put the rumors to bed by confirming that he counts on the midfielder for his project.

We spoke, but as you can understand, what we said will remain confidential. Xabi Alonso

The squad is seeing other adjustments as well. Nicolas Jackson returns to the Blues' ranks following his loan spell at Bayern Munich and is set to join the team for their pre-season tour. Meanwhile, Alejandro Garnacho is no longer training with the first team and is seeking a new club, while Andrey Santos has completed a move to Manchester United.

Alonso emphasized that despite the absence of European football, he is not planning a radical clear-out. His primary goal is to return the club to the elite level and the Champions League by establishing a clear identity that the entire squad must embrace.