Alonso only wants players with clear development plans; others will train separately.

On June 16 , The Athletic released its "Transfer Weekly Report" for the summer window of 2026, providing an update on Chelsea's transfer situation and plans.

Cucurella

Chelsea sold Cucurella to Real Madrid for €60 million (equivalent to £51.7 million, $69.4 million), with the deal comprising a fixed transfer fee of €55 million plus €5 million in add-ons.

The deal benefits both parties: Cucurella was eager to return to Spain, while Chelsea received a significant transfer fee for a player who will turn 28 next month and had long been unhappy at Stamford Bridge. Another key reason for the sale was the club's high regard for 20-year-old Dutch left-back Jorrel Hato, who performed consistently well in the second half of the 2025-26 season.

Targeted Positions and Players

Chelsea plan to sign 2 to 3 immediate-impact players who can go straight into the first-team starting lineup. The top priority is to find a replacement for Cucurella, with the candidate needing to be versatile across multiple positions.

Barco of Strasbourg perfectly fits the requirements, as he can play as a left-back, wing-back, and midfielder. Reports from France indicate that Chelsea has finalized a transfer agreement with him, though the English Premier League club has yet to officially confirm it. Valentín Barco himself has publicly confirmed that he will be leaving the French club.

Chelsea also need a center-back and a versatile attacker. Aston Villa’s Rogers is the primary target for the attacking line, but the club are aware of fierce competition from several top clubs.

Other transfer targets will depend on player departures from the squad and whether suitable replacements are needed.

Xavi Alonso's First-Team Squad Planning

The team failed to qualify for European competitions this season, so the size of the first-team squad will be tightly controlled, and there will be no large-scale signings at the start of the transfer window.

Three new signings have already been confirmed this summer: winger Jovane Cabral (Chelsea reached a £40 million transfer agreement with Sporting CP 15 months ago), striker Emmanuel Emegha (whose transfer from Strasbourg was finalized last September), and goalkeeper Mike Penders (who was loaned to Strasbourg last season and will compete with Robert Sanchez for the number one goalkeeper spot next season).

Several loaned players are returning this summer, and Chelsea need to clear out surplus players. Alonso is only willing to retain players who have a clear long-term development plan; others will train in separate groups, as has been the practice in previous summer windows.

Jamie Gittens and Dario Essugo, two new signings from last year who made few appearances, remain part of the club's plans for the 2026-27 season.

Potential Departures

Following Cucurella's departure, Enzo Fernández's future will be a key topic of external interest.

He expressed his desire to live in Madrid earlier this year, leading to speculation that the midfielder is interested in a move to the Bernabéu. Chelsea is not under urgent pressure to sell him, but if a club matches the £120 million asking price, the club will choose to Cash in on him.

Jackson returns following his loan spell at Bayern, leaving Chelsea with four strikers in the first team: João Pedro, Liam Delap, Emegha, and Jackson.

One of the three, excluding João Pedro, will be sold.

Jackson can play both as a left winger and as a striker, which increases his chances of staying; several Premier League teams are interested in signing Delap; although Emegha has only just joined, his place in the pecking order has not yet been determined, and there remains a possibility that he could leave.

Reserve goalkeeper Jørgensen hopes to leave in order to secure consistent first-team playing time, and the club will allow him to depart if a suitable offer is made.

Permanent sales and loan arrangements for center-backs will depend on whether the players are willing to accept a lower position in the team’s pecking order. Colwill is returning from injury, and the team will also sign a new starting center-back.

Archampong is not for sale; Anselmino suffered numerous injuries during his loan spells at Dortmund and Strasbourg last season and will take part in pre-season before the club decides whether to loan him out again.

Three players returning from loan spells are confirmed to be leaving permanently: defender Disasi, winger Tyrique George, and striker Fofana. Everton holds a buy-out clause for George, while other clubs are also interested in signing the homegrown winger.

U21 striker Jimmy-Jay Morgan is set to transfer to Championship side West Brom.