Full Breakdown
Xabi Alonso Targets Forgotten Players to Revive Chelsea’s Squad
8/5/2026, 6:11:17 PM
Core Event
Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso is evaluating a group of players who saw limited action last season as he assembles his first-team roster for the upcoming campaign. The focus includes winger Mykhailo Mudryk, who has been cleared to return after a four-year doping ban, Belgian goalkeeper Mike Penders, centre-backs Axel Disasi and Aaron Anselmino, and striker Liam Delap.
Background & Context
Mudryk was provisionally suspended by the Football Association in November 2024 following a positive test for the prohibited substance meldonium. After an “adverse finding,” he received the maximum four-year ban, which he appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). The CAS ruling cleared him to resume training, although Alonso cautioned that his match fitness remains uncertain.
Several out-field players have also spent the previous season on loan. Penders completed a loan spell at Strasbourg, logging 52 appearances and 12 clean sheets, helping the French side reach the UEFA Conference League semi-finals. Disasi and Anselmino each returned from multiple loan assignments abroad, while Delap’s debut season was hampered by injuries that kept him out for 83 days.
Data & Statistics
- Mudryk contributed 21 goals and assists across 73 appearances for Chelsea before his suspension.
- Penders recorded 52 matches and 12 clean sheets during his Strasbourg loan.
- Delap managed only three full 90-minute games after January, following a prolonged injury layoff.
Official Statements & Responses
Alonso also indicated a desire to have “four or five” centre-backs available, suggesting that Disasi and Anselmino could compete for regular spots while other defenders such as Maxence Lacroix, Levi Colwill, Wesley Fofana and Tosin Adarabioyo remain in the squad.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I see him in a good mood, in a good desire to get proper fitness, proper football feeling good, and he's doing well.” — Aaron Anselmino Alonso
What’s Next
Chelsea’s pre-season tour will provide the first opportunity for Mudryk, Penders, Disasi, Anselmino and Delap to demonstrate readiness for competitive action. Alonso’s selection decisions during the tour will shape the final squad composition for the Premier League season.
