EPL: Gary Neville names players Alonso should sign for Chelsea

Manchester United legend Gary Neville has outlined four signings that Xabi Alonso should target for Chelsea this summer. The Spaniard has agreed to a four‑year contract to become the club’s new manager, starting on 1 July.

Alonso will replace Liam Rosenior, who managed Chelsea for just 106 days after Enzo Maresca was dismissed in January.

After losing the FA Cup final to Manchester City on Saturday, the Blues find themselves in a precarious position in the Premier League.

Although Chelsea ended a six‑match losing streak against Liverpool, they remain 10th in the league table. With only two matches left this season, the West London club has slim chances of securing a Champions League spot.

Despite these challenges, Alonso’s appointment offers a glimmer of hope for the Premier League giants. The Liverpool icon is a proven winner and has a strong record at Bayer Leverkusen. While his stint at Real Madrid was brief, reports from Santiago Bernabéu suggest that the problems there were not solely his responsibility.

As a new era appears to be on the horizon at Stamford Bridge, Neville has shared his insights on how Chelsea should approach recruitment this summer. He stressed that relying solely on young players will not be beneficial.

Neve l urged BlueCo to revise their transfer strategy and bring in experienced players to aid Alonso during his summer rebuilding efforts at the club.

He said on the Gary Neville Podcast on Sky Sports, “Chelsea possesses a significant level of inexperience across all departments. They are inexperienced on the field, and a change in their model is necessary. This approach of exclusively signing young players on substantial contracts… while no one is opposed to acquiring young talent, limiting themselves to only young players is a considerable error.”

Neve l believes Chelsea has competent players in midfield but highlighted the need for an experienced centre‑forward, a new goalkeeper, and additional support at centre‑back.

“The first action I anticipate Xabi Alonso will take is to seek a new goalkeeper, a centre‑back, and an experienced centre‑forward. They have some seasoned players in central midfield, including Caicedo, Fernández, and Lavia, which allows them to maintain a solid core. Additionally, they have a mix of dynamic wingers, but they are in need of a top‑tier centre‑forward. João Pedro is quite impressive, and I have a favourable opinion of him, while Liam Delap is still young. Nonetheless, they require a centre‑forward who possesses both strength and class, as well as one or two centre‑backs, and it is imperative that they acquire a new goalkeeper.”

Chelsea is set to face Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on Tuesday. A win would let them overtake Brentford for eighth place, securing a spot in the Europa Conference League, with only one match remaining this season.