Chelsea FC Manager Xabi Alonso Issues Transfer Warning After Enzo Fernandez Deadline Passes
Chelsea FC manager Xabi Alonso has warned that the pre-season friendly against Real Sociedad may have been the 'last' game for some players, amid speculation over Enzo Fernandez's future. The Blues finished their pre-season preparations against the Spanish team at Stamford Bridge on Saturday afternoon.
What happened?
Chelsea FC finished their pre-season preparations with a 3-1 win over Real Sociedad at Stamford Bridge. Goals from Morgan Rogers and Joao Pedro (x2) saw Chelsea come out as 3-1 winners.
Why it matters for Chelsea FC
The match also saw midfielder Enzo Fernandez return to action for Chelsea, amid speculation over his future. The Argentine was booed by some home fans as he came off the bench in the second half.
What comes next?
The match comes after the club set a deadline for clubs to meet their £120million asking price for Fernandez. That passed without the club receiving any bids. Following the game, Alonso gave his assessment to club channels, where he sent a transfer hint over some players who were involved in the match.
"It was a very good last preparation game," Alonso said. "For some players it was the first one and the last one. For us, there were some good things, some things we can improve. It's normal at this moment for some players. It was great to have all the team together. Some of them after three days could play for 60 minutes. It was the last test. Now we have a whole week to prepare for Fulham, but it was a good feeling in the stadium."
Who might be leaving?
Young defender Josh Acheampong came on as a second-half substitute, with talkSPORT reporting that there is Premier League interest in the 20-year-old. Winger Pedro Neto has also been linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge in the final weeks of the window.
League standing (final 2025 table -- new season not yet under way): 10th in Premier League, 52 pts, 14W-10D-14L from 38 games, recent form LWDLL.
Goals this season: 58 scored, 52 conceded (+6 goal difference). Title race: 33 points behind leaders Arsenal.
