Alonso has 'plan' to get Palmer and Rogers playing together

Eyebrows were raised when the Blues spent a club record £117million on Rogers earlier this month, with many critics questioning whether Alonso would manage to get the best from him with Palmer already at the club.

But the former Real Madrid boss insists both players can thrive in his starting XI, despite their positional similarities.

Speaking ahead of his side’s pre-season friendly with Western Sydney Wanderers, Alonso said: “I have a plan, an idea. I can see them linking really well. We need to have a good mix.

“If we get that balance right and those special players in the right positions with good control, we will be more competitive with the ball and against the ball. We need to be good.”

Rogers, 24, is currently on holiday after playing for England at the World Cup.

And Alonso insists the money spent on the former Aston Villa man, who has been handed a six-year deal, will prove to be a sound investment.

He added: “In that position, we needed an important player and there were not many better options than Morgan.

“His signing means a lot for everyone and for the players that are already here.

“One of his best qualities is that he is flexible. He plays in that pocket position, close to the striker, close to our No 10.

“But he has also played on the right side, even though he is more used to coming from the left.

“He feels he is enjoying his game, his flow, and I’m sure he will have good connections with the other players around him.

“If we get those connections right, that will be a great step forward in the quality of our game.

“I’m sure Morgan won’t need much time to adapt to the club, to the system, to his team-mates. The idea was that we wanted to get a top player. Morgan is one of them.”

After a disappointing 2025-26 campaign saw Chelsea finish trophyless and miss out on Europe, all eyes will be on Alonso as he bids to transform the team’s fortunes.

Having seemingly been given the full backing of club owners BlueCo to put his stamp on the squad, it already appears as though the new Blues boss has a solid chance of success.

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