Ever since the confirmation of Xabi Alonso as Chelsea’s new manager, the most talked-about aspect of what he could implement at the club has been the potential tactical shift.
Many have suggested that, given the personnel currently at his disposal, the Spaniard could continue with the 3-4-2-1 formation that guided Bayer Leverkusen to an unprecedented unbeaten Bundesliga campaign two seasons ago.
There have also been claims that he could alternatively persist with a 4-3-3 system depending on the profile of players Chelsea recruits this summer transfer window, as well as how quickly the squad adapts to his positional demands and tactical intensity.
What makes Chelsea’s appointment of Xabi Alonso even more intriguing is the fact that the Spaniard is widely regarded as one of the best in-game managers in modern football.
His tactical flexibility, which sees him constantly adjust his team’s shape mid-match depending on the opposition and available personnel, has given many Chelsea fans genuine optimism about the future of the club under his leadership.
Although Alonso’s managerial career may still be relatively short, there have already been clear indications of how important certain player profiles and positional roles are within his tactical setup.
With that in mind, it increasingly appears that several players in the current Chelsea squad could greatly benefit from the arrival of the former Real Madrid coach and go on to play major roles under his management.
Xabi Alonso As Chelsea’s New Manager: Three Players Set To Thrive Under The Spaniard
João Pedro
Across the three teams Alonso has managed in his coaching career — Real Sociedad B, Bayer Leverkusen, and Real Madrid — his strikers have consistently produced impressive numbers, largely due to the volume and quality of chances created within his tactical system.
During his spell at Real Sociedad B, Alonso’s main forwards delivered goal returns that drew widespread praise, especially considering they were young academy players.
The standout figure was Jon Karrikaburu, who became the focal point of Xabi Alonso’s attacking setup. After being promoted to the first team during the club’s successful 2020/21 promotion campaign, the Spanish striker scored four goals in nine appearances.
The following season, despite Real Sociedad B struggling in a highly competitive Segunda División campaign that eventually ended in relegation, Karrikaburu still thrived under Alonso’s guidance, scoring 11 league goals across the season. Reaching double figures as a 19-year-old in a relegated side was widely viewed as a remarkable achievement.
At Bayer Leverkusen, Alonso’s strikers also flourished, with both Victor Boniface and Patrik Schick producing outstanding numbers within his system.
Boniface, who became the explosive focal point of the attack, had a profile that mirrored Chelsea’s, João Pedro.
Both players possess the physical strength and technical quality needed to drop deep, hold up play, link attacks and create space for the more creative players around them.
During Leverkusen’s historic unbeaten 2023/24 campaign, Boniface finished as the club’s top Bundesliga scorer with 14 league goals, while also registering 21 goals and 10 assists across all competitions.
Meanwhile, Patrik Schick stepped up impressively after Boniface suffered injuries. Although the Czech striker offered a very different profile, he still thrived under Alonso’s management and proved decisive in key moments.
Schick enjoyed an excellent run of form and finished the season with 16 goals, further highlighting Alonso’s ability to maximise different types of strikers within the same tactical framework.
At Real Madrid, despite spending only seven months there, Alonso still managed to get world-class output from his leading striker.
Kylian Mbappé, who enjoyed a sensational run of goal-scoring form under the Spaniard, found the back of the net 30 times across all competitions while leading the La Liga scoring charts and carrying much of the team’s attack.
Now, with Xabi Alonso as Chelsea’s manager, the Spaniard would have João Pedro at his disposal — a forward who has already shown glimpses of elite quality despite operating in what has largely been a disjointed and underperforming Chelsea team.
The Brazilian, whose omission from the Selecao World Cup squad sparked major backlash from Chelsea fans on social media, scored 15 Premier League goals and registered 26 goal contributions across all competitions this season.
In several difficult moments throughout the campaign, his individual brilliance proved decisive for the Blues when the team as a whole struggled to create consistent attacking momentum.
What makes his numbers even more impressive is the fact that he achieved them despite receiving little attacking support from Chelsea’s main creative outlet, Cole Palmer, who also endured a disappointing season by his own standards.
Now with Alonso’s structured attacking system, tactical flexibility and chance-creating approach, many believe João Pedro — who has been earmarked by Barcelona as a replacement for the departing Robert Lewandowski — could elevate his game even further and develop into one of the Premier League’s most complete forwards under the Spaniard’s management.
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Xabi Alonso As Chelsea’s New Manager: Enzo Fernandez
Players who have worked under Xabi Alonso — as well as Alonso himself — have repeatedly spoken about how a “double six” is a fundamental part of his tactical setup when building a team.
Whether operating in a 3-4-2-1 or a 4-3-3 system, the structure around the double pivot remains crucial to the balance and control of his sides.
With that in mind, Enzo Fernández, who has registered 26 goal contributions in the 2025/26 campaign, is expected to remain one of the most important figures in Chelsea’s setup under Xabi Alonso.
His ability to dictate tempo, progress the ball through midfield and thrive in deeper midfield roles makes him a key part of the squad next season.
After being handed a two-match suspension for comments made during the international break — remarks that many interpreted as an attempt to encourage Real Madrid to pursue him, and which the Blues’ hierarchy viewed as disrespectful — the arrival of Xabi Alonso to Chelsea could ultimately play a significant role in shaping Enzo Fernández’s decision regarding his future at the club.
This kind of statement of ambition is the sort of move that can lift the morale within the squad, and having previously worked under Frank Lampard, Enzo Fernández may relish the opportunity to learn from another elite midfielder in Xabi Alonso — a player widely regarded as one of the finest central midfielders of his generation and someone who won virtually everything during his career.
Fernandez could also prove to be the ideal profile to replicate the role Granit Xhaka performed under Xabi Alonso at Bayer Leverkusen, operating as a deep-lying playmaker responsible for controlling possession and connecting midfield with attack.
Xabi Alonso As Chelsea’s New Manager: Jorrel Hato
Over the past few years, Marc Cucurella has been an essential pillar in Chelsea’s squad, and Alonso would want to have him in his side, but 19-year-old Jorrel Hato’s tactical profile makes him uniquely suited to compete for or gradually overtake Cucurella’s minutes if the former Real Madrid manager implements his signature 3-4-2-1 formation.
Hato, who was signed from Ajax and was named Chelsea’s April Player of the Month, offers the specific structural advantages that could see him dominate the left side of the pitch under the new manager.
During his time at Bayer Leverkusen, Xabi Alonso relied heavily on Piero Hincapié — a left-footed defender blessed with explosive recovery pace, aggression in duels and composure in possession. In Jorrel Hato, Alonso could have the ideal profile to replicate that role at Chelsea.
The young Dutch international already possesses significant experience at centre-back, and his defensive instincts, positional intelligence and composure could make him perfectly suited to anchoring the left side of a back three, allowing Chelsea’s wing-backs greater freedom to push high up the pitch.
Alonso, who is known for altering his side’s shape depending on the phase of play, would also value Hato’s unique background as a highly coveted full-back capable of drifting into midfield when required.
His athleticism is another major asset. In possession, Hato can step aggressively into midfield to support Enzo Fernández or Moisés Caicedo in dictating tempo, while also providing the defensive security needed to recover quickly when possession is lost.
That versatility gives him a tactical edge, particularly in systems where defenders are expected to contribute both in build-up play and defensive transitions, and with Xabi Alonso as Chelsea’s new manager, the teenager may have the chance to flourish.
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Credit: IMAGO / Ball Raw Images
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