Alonso wants to keep Fernandez at Chelsea

At a press conference at Stamford Bridge on Monday, Xabi Alonso was officially unveiled as the new head coach of Chelsea. One of the key topics was Argentine midfielder Enzo Fernandez, who is preparing for a World Cup semi-final against England. When asked directly if he wanted to keep Fernandez, Alonso replied "Yes," adding that they had spoken but the details would remain private.

Fernandez, who has a £120 million release clause, has recently been linked with Real Madrid, but the Spanish club denied pursuing a move last week, leaving him with no known alternative destination. Alonso emphasized that Fernandez is part of his plans.

Alonso also revealed that striker Nicolas Jackson will rejoin the squad for at least the pre-season tour of Australia and Asia after Bayern Munich decided not to make his loan permanent. "Nico Jackson is joining the tour in Asia and we are looking forward to him working with us," said Alonso.

Meanwhile, winger Alejandro Garnacho has not returned to training. Alonso confirmed that there is an agreement for Garnacho to stay away from the first-team while he seeks a move, with Italian club Roma among those interested.

Alonso addressed the squad size after Chelsea failed to qualify for European competitions. He noted that while small details have changed, the main focus remains on building a competitive team for August. "We are aligned with the sporting directors on what we want to reach. The team is good and where we want to reinforce in terms of positions is clear," he said.

The 44-year-old coach expressed his honor to lead a club with such a successful history and emphasized the need to build a winning mentality. He acknowledged that Champions League qualification is a goal but requires many things to be done right.