Alonso confirms talks with Fernandez as Chelsea reset begins

LONDON (AP): Chelsea’s new head coach Xabi Alonso has confirmed he has held discussions with midfielder Enzo Fernandez, whose place at the club has been uncertain for several months.

Alonso agreed terms to take the job in May, formally began on July 1, and faced the media for the first time at Stamford Bridge yesterday.

In April, Fernandez received a two-match internal ban after telling a podcast he wanted to live in Madrid, comments that fuelled talk of a switch to Real Madrid. Real Madrid this month rejected suggestions it was pursuing the Argentina international.

Pressed on whether he wants Fernandez to stay at Chelsea, Alonso answered, “Yes.”

“We have spoken,” Alonso added. “But as you can understand, what we have spoken about remains private.”

Fernandez is currently with Argentina at the World Cup, preparing for Wednesday’s semi-final against England in Atlanta. He is one of four Chelsea players still in the tournament, joined by England pair Reece James and Trevoh Chalobah and France full-back Malo Gusto.

Chelsea completed last Premier League campaign in 10th, a sharp drop from fourth the season before. Alonso named European qualification among his aims.

“For sure that’s a goal,” said the former Bayer Leverkusen and Real Madrid coach. “But to reach that goal you need to do many right things and to be part of that process, how do we want to play, how we want to see ourselves, how we want to approach a game wherever we go.

“That’s my job. That’s why I am really looking forward to having the whole squad. We are ambitious and we in Chelsea need to share that energy, that ambition, as well as that hunger to want to have success.”

Chelsea’s most recent Premier League title came in 2017 under Antonio Conte. Alonso is the eighth permanent manager appointed since that triumph.

Asked whether he expects enough time to assemble a side capable of contending for the championship, the 44-year-old Spaniard avoided a firm pledge.

“What I am sure is that we have the ambition to want to win a lot of games, to be competitive,” he said. “I’m not going to say what will happen in May. It’s absolutely too early to say that but I am confident, I am optimistic that we can have a great season.”