Alonso’s early transfer business signals Chelsea intent that’s great for Palmer but bad for Estevao

Xabi Alosno proved at Real Madrid that he’s not wedded to the 3-4-3 formation he used at Bayer Leverkusen to such outstanding effect, but perhaps thanks to a trying time at the Bernabeu, the Spaniard has signalled his intent to revert to his preferred system at Chelsea after reaching an ‘agreement’ for his first summer signing at Stamford Bridge and through another that’s supposedly in the works.

After Marc Cucurella’s £52m departure for Real Madrid, Chelsea have worked quickly to source a replacement, of sorts.

Fabrizio Romano revealed on Wednesday morning: ‘BREAKING: Marco Palestra to Chelsea, here we go! Verbal agreement in place between all parties.

‘Atalanta to receive package over €55m fee plus sell-on clause, long term deal to Italian talented RWB. Chelsea hijack Inter move and get new talent for Xabi Alonso.’

The 21-year-old impressed on loan at Cagliari last season, playing chiefly on the right, but has featured almost as much on the left in his short career; crucially for Alonso and his plans at Chelsea, almost exclusively as a wing-back rather than a full-back.

Confirming Alonso’s autonomy in Chelsea transfer business having been named ‘manager’ rather than ‘head coach’, like Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior before him, Romano also revealed that he “had a direct conversation” with Palestra to outline his philosophy and how he would fit into it, while Gazzetta dello Sport claim ‘the long chat was significant’ in beatig Inter to his signature.

Alonso already has Geovany Quenda joining his ranks this summer after a £44m deal was agreed with Sporting for his signing way back in March 2025. The 19-year-old played mainly on the right wing last season, but is well used to playing at wing-back having been deployed there by Ruben Amorim before he left for Manchester United.

And there’s perhaps no move that would evidence Alonso’s Chelsea strategy more than one for Gabriel Gudmundsson, amid reported ‘interest’ in the Leeds star, who was outstanding in the second half of last season when Daniel Farke switched his formation and moved him to left wing-back, where he’s currently playing under Graham Potter for Sweden at the World Cup.

Chelsea fans will have fond memories of the system of course after Antonio Conte ripped up his Blues blueprint at half-time in a 3-0 defeat to Arsenal in September 2016 to end the season as Premier League champions.

Palestra, Quenda and Gudmondsson, along with Malo Gusto if he remains at the club, will play the Marcos Alonso and Victor Moses wing-back roles, and Reece James would make a very good right centre-back as the new Cesar Azpilicueta, who was decisive in attack under Conte, delivering crosses from his deeper, inverted position.

Jorrel Hato played largely on the left of a back a three for Ajax and he’s not looked entirely comfortable at left-back or as one of two centre-backs at Chelsea. Levi Colwill has the leadership and quality on the ball to play at the heart of the Blues defence.

It’s a system which suits most of Chelsea’s players, including – crucially – Cole Palmer, who was outstanding in his debut season at Chelsea on the right-wing but does also feel like a wasted asset if he’s asked to hug the touchline. Florian Wirtz became a £100m player after thriving under Alonso as one of two inverted wingers and that feels like the ideal role for Palmer, who often grew frustrated last term as opposition teams stuck one or even two midfielders on him in the half spaces to deny him the chance to create.

Another player in those same spaces would draw focus away from him. The question for Chelsea fans will be, can that other player be Estevao?

Denying the Brazilian an obvious position in the team is a sickening thought to contend with. He’s a ‘bums off seats’ delight, the likes of which we rarely get to enjoy in the increasingly formulaic modern game. But on the basis of what we saw of him last season, the 19-year-old is the winger-est of wingers.

He’s forever got chalk on his boots and in moving him inside to allow for a raiding wing-back to bomb past him, it feels as though Alonso would be cutting him off at the knees; we can’t see a world in which Estevao plays as that wing-back.

The new Chelsea manager of course can’t base his philosophy and formation on the merits of one player, so with all transfer moves pointing to Alonso implementing his Leverkusen system, here’s hoping at least one of the primary focuses for the Spaniard this summer will be in developing one of his particularly special players to prosper in their new role.