Last summer saw Chelsea beat European champions Paris Saint-Germain to win the Club World Cup. They also spent nearly £300m in the transfer market, so expectations were high coming into the 2025/26 campaign. This was not just fan optimism either. The bookies had the Blues at 8/13 to finish in the top four, while Opta’s supercomputer calculated a 40.7% of it happening.
Rather than securing more Champions League football under Enzo Maresca, Chelsea instead finished the season with caretaker boss Calum McFarlane guiding the Blues to an extremely underwhelming 10th-place finish. With no silverware to celebrate either, the campaign was a total disaster.
While it was truly a season to forget, Chelsea fans will be hoping that next season will be different under Xabi Alonso. The former Real Madrid manager begins his work at Stamford Bridge on 1st July, and he might well be the breath of fresh air the club needs. On this page, we will explore the impact the Spaniard may have on this underperforming Chelsea team.
Alonso to Boost Fitness Level
Xabi Alonso’s message to Chelsea fans: “Chelsea is one of the biggest clubs in world football and it fills me with immense pride to become manager of this great club”.
⁰“From my conversations with the ownership group and sporting leadership, it is clear we share the same… pic.twitter.com/zRUqN2GGLt— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) May 17, 2026
It is helpful for Chelsea that Alonso’s appointment was confirmed early, as it gives him plenty of time to prepare for pre-season before officially taking charge. His high-intensity style demands energetic and well-conditioned players, so the club’s summer tour of Australia and Asia will provide the ideal opportunity to improve fitness levels and introduce his tactical ideas.
Whether it was through lack of fitness or simply a tactical decision, Chelsea players ran very little this season. The Blues were outrun in their first 35 Premier League matches before taking on Liverpool in early May. More running does not guarantee better performances, of course, but to be so consistently outrun by your opposition is not something that will happen under Alonso’s reign.
Reinforcements Needed
It may sound strange to suggest that a club which has spent so heavily in recent years still requires more additions, but Chelsea’s squad remains incomplete. Rather than signing hot young prospects, though, as they so often do, Xabi Alonso needs proven, experienced quality. The Spaniard must be allowed to sign the players he wants, even if they do not fit the club’s model. Chelsea have appointed him as a manager rather than a head coach, which suggests he will have a stronger voice in recruitment decisions.
Alonso has not publicly stated what players he is seeking but has stated his desire to build a team of so-called “mentality monsters”. A squad with a better mentality is of huge importance at Chelsea, given their complete lack of discipline this campaign. The Blues collected 10 red cards across all competitions and 118 yellow cards in the Premier League, more than any other side.
Key Players Will Use Summer to Recover
In addition to bringing in a few fresh faces, the summer will also allow several Chelsea players to recover from injury or gain full fitness. Estevao is expected to complete his rehabilitation from a hamstring injury during the off-season, while Romeo Lavia and Cole Palmer both could do with an extended break after injury-riddled campaigns. Then there is Levi Colwill, who was still working his way back up to full match fitness when the season concluded.
Fewer Games Will Help League Performance
Going by games missed due to injuries, Chelsea were one of the teams worst hit by unavailable players. Although a fair way short of Tottenham levels, it was an issue and one that has hampered their season. Playing Champions League football was partly to blame, as the competition provides very few opportunities to rest players, given the quality of opposition is so high. This meant senior Chelsea players were in action a lot more than in the previous campaign.
The complete lack of European football in 2026/27, however, means Alonso can focus on domestic action and will have well-rested players most weekends.
Underperformers to Leave or Play Smaller Role
Make no mistake that Chelsea were poor this season, but they would have fared considerably better had they not been so wasteful in front of goal. Understat data says they underperformed their xG by 14.21 goals, the second-highest underperformance in the division.
The players bearing the largest chunk of this wasteful finishing are Liam Delap (-4.03), Alejandro Garnacho (-3.11) and Marc Guiu (-2.47). It would be no surprise to see Delap and Guiu offloaded in the summer, while Garnacho may well get even fewer minutes unless he can turn things around.
Early Outlook
Although the 2025/26 season was a disaster, there is real feeling that Chelsea will bounce back. Alonso is one of the most exciting young managers around, and Chelsea’s young squad will all be that little bit older and wiser next season. The bookies are pricing Chelsea at 11/10 to finish in the top four, something you have to feel will be an aim for Alonso next season.
While going from 10th to fourth is a big jump, the Blues did go from 10th to champions from the 2015/16 campaign to the 2016/17 season. They also bounced back from their awful 2022/23 campaign (12th place with 44 points) to finish sixth with 63 points the next year. Provided they enjoy a successful transfer window, we fully expect Alonso to oversee significant improvements at Stamford Bridge.