Chelsea to immediately add four new players to Xabi Alonso squad as part of transfer plan

Xabi Alonso will have a lot of difficult decisions to make in the summer transfer window as he looks to lead Chelsea into a new era.

Chelsea have already lined up four signings ahead of the transfer window, ready for the arrival of Xabi Alonso. The new Blues manager, who has signed a four-year contract at Stamford Bridge, will begin his new role on July 1, giving him plenty of time to prepare for a busy summer.

football.london understands that Alonso will work closely with Chelsea's five-strong sporting leadership team as they look to get the BlueCo project back on track. Under Enzo Maresca, for the first time since May 2022, when Behdad Eghbali and Todd Boehly took the reins, the west London outfit appeared to finally take a step in the right direction.

But then, Chelsea took a stumble over the festive period, and it all came crashing down. Alonso has been tasked with restoring the Blues' identity and leading the club to its former glory.

"Chelsea is one of the biggest clubs in world football, and it fills me with immense pride to become manager of this great club," said the Spaniard. "From my conversations with the ownership group and sporting leadership, it is clear we share the same ambition.

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"We want to build a team capable of competing consistently at the highest level and fighting for trophies. There is great talent in the squad and huge potential at this football club, and it will be my great honour to lead it. Now the focus is on hard work, building the right culture and winning trophies."

There's a lot of work to be done in the summer, but the Blues have already lined up a few signings for Alonso. So, with that being said, football.london has looked at the four players that Chelsea have already signed ahead of the transfer window.

Mike Penders

Penders, whom Chelsea signed from Genk for £17m in August 2024, played his final game for Strasbourg at the weekend. The 20-year-old goalkeeper has caught the eye while out on loan with the French outfit, establishing himself as one of the most promising young shot-stoppers in Europe.

This season, he featured 52 times across all competitions, conceding 65 goals and keeping 12 clean sheets. Although Strasbourg failed to qualify for either of UEFA's three club competitions, Penders helped them reach the semi-finals of the Coupe de France and the Conference League.

football.london understands that the Blues will assess their options between the sticks in the summer. Senior figures at Stamford Bridge believe Penders has the potential to become the long-term number one.

Fortunately for Alonso, the Belgian has already had a taste of life in the Chelsea dressing room. He worked closely with Robert Sanchez and Filip Jorgensen at the Club World Cup last summer, but he didn't feature.

Emmanuel Emegha

Emegha will also leave Strasbourg to join Chelsea later this summer. Shortly after the last summer transfer window slammed shut, the Blues announced the signing of the 23-year-old striker from the French outfit, also owned by BlueCo.

He had made quite the impression last term, scoring 14 goals in 27 appearances in Ligue 1, helping Strasbourg seal a place in the Conference League. For the first time in 19 years, they had qualified for European football, thanks to the efforts of Emegha.

This season, the Netherlands international has struggled to stay fit. Although he's clocked 18 appearances across all competitions, Emegha has played no more than 900 minutes.

Geovany Quenda

Quenda, whom Chelsea agreed to sign from Sporting Clube de Portugal in March 2025 for £40m, bid farewell to the José Alvalade Stadium on Saturday evening. The 19-year-old winger fired Rui Borges' side to victory over Gil Vicente, coming on as a substitute in the final quarter of an hour or so.

He marked his final appearance for the Portuguese giants in front of the home supporters with an assist. In the dying embers of stoppage time, Quenda set up Morten Hjulmand, who put the third and final nail in the coffin.

The new Blues winger was in tears as his 11-year association with Sporting came to an end. Before Quenda reports for pre-season later this summer, he looks set to play one more game for the Portuguese giants.

On Sunday afternoon, the teenage sensation will have the chance to get his hands on a piece of silverware when Sporting lock horns with Torreense in the Taça de Portugal final. It'll be his first match since the appointment of Alonso as Chelsea manager, so he'll be keen to make a good impression.

Dastan Satpaev

Satpaev, whom Chelsea signed from Kairat for less than £3m at the start of 2025, also looks set to report for pre-season training once he turns 18 later this summer. The striker has been in superb form for the Kazakhstan outfit this season, scoring five goals and providing two assists in the domestic top-flight.

In his first UK interview back in September 2025, Satpaev told BBC Sport: "As a child, I loved football and often played with boys older than me with my brother's friends. My parents worried I'd get injured as I played on sandy, and rocky pitches against bigger boys.

"We only took breaks to drink juice. Others noticed my speed, and eventually my grandfather suggested I take trials at Kairat, where my career began. Kairat greatly supported me with its infrastructure, coaches and player development approach.

"It also helped me become mentally strong, stay focused, and embrace hard work from an early age. We performed well at international youth tournaments, which attracted an offer from a club like Chelsea."

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