Xabi Alonso at odds with Chelsea over Enzo Fernandez deal

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Cameron Smith | Digital Content Producer

Accredited sports journalist covering football since 2020

Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso wants Real Madrid to include Arda Guler or Eduardo Camavinga in any deal for Enzo Fernandez, according to reports in Spain.

Alonso, 44, will begin his duties as Chelsea’s new manager on 1 July and it’s understood that he will play a pivotal role in the club’s transfer business this summer as they look to bounce back from a horrid 2025-26 campaign, in which they finished 10th in the Premier League table.

Chelsea are reportedly eager to purchase more experienced players before the summer window ends, but this plan is yet to bear any fruit with 29-year-old Marc Cucurella already sold to Real Madrid and the pre-agreed signings of Geovany Quenda, Emmanuel Emegha, Dastan Satpaev and Denner all aged 23 or under.

Cucurella could be joined at the Bernabeu by ex-Blues team-mate Fernandez, who is desperate to join Los Blancos this summer after becoming disillusioned with the project at Stamford Bridge.

The Argentina superstar flirted with the idea of joining Real Madrid on several occasions during Liam Rosenior’s short reign in charge of Chelsea last term, and it has been widely reported that he has now reached an agreement on personal terms with the Spanish giants.

It’s understood that Chelsea are open to a sale if their €140 million valuation is met, while Spanish outlet SPORT have revealed that new Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho has “requested” the signing of Fernandez ahead of the new season.

Los Blancos have already signed Ibrahima Konate, Bernardo Silva and the aforementioned Cucurella, with a deal in place for Denzel Dumfries too, and they have now turned their attention to agreeing a transfer with Chelsea for Fernandez.

The 25-year-old sees a summer move to Real Madrid as an ideal opportunity to fight for major honours, although his current club are at odds over the conditions of a deal.

As per SPORT, the Chelsea hierarchy want a straight sale for €140m, but Alonso is keen for either Guler or Camavinga to be included in the transfer. He worked with both players during his stint as Real Madrid manager and it’s reported that he wants to secure a reunion with at least one of them this summer.

Xabi Alonso at odds with Chelsea hierarchy?

Alonso reportedly wants to keep Fernandez at Chelsea if possible, but he will not stand in the Argentine’s way of joining Real Madrid and a transfer is therefore expected to happen.

However, the Spaniard could be set for another clash with the Chelsea board over the terms of a deal.

Matteo Moretto has claimed that Alonso was not informed about Chelsea’s decision to sell Cucurella to Real Madrid, with the Blues boss only finding out via renowned transfer reporter Fabrizio Romano.

Therefore, his relationship with the Chelsea owners already appears to be strained and he could be at odds with those in charge at Stamford Bridge once again regarding Fernandez’s future.