The fifth new era of BlueCo’s four-year tenure at Chelsea begins this summer under the guidance of new manager Xabi Alonso.
Pressure is particularly high this time around, with fan unrest combining with miserable on-field performances to produce a truly toxic end to the 2025–26 campaign saved only by news of Alonso’s arrival.
The new boss has some big decisions to make this summer, and here are six players who need to stand out more than most.
Wesley Fofana
Chelsea fans have had a mixed relationship with Wesley Fofana. Unfortunately, the rapport is on a bit of a dip right now.
Two red cards in the final three months of last season, including one on the final day of the campaign in defeat to Sunderland, saw many fans turn on Fofana. From a tactical perspective, his space in Alonso’s starting lineup is far from clear as the Blues bring in Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace.
Fofana at least has a headstart to impress Alonso this summer. A series of good performances could save his Chelsea career, but an underwhelming few weeks could easily push him to the exit door.
Josh Acheampong
The trajectory of 20-year-old Josh Acheampong is a sensitive subject at Chelsea. A star of the academy and widely hailed as one of the top defenders his age in England, the versatile youngster started just eight Premier League games last season. He started just one of Chelsea’s final 12 games, with his five other appearances adding up to 18 minutes combined.
Like Fofana, Acheampong is another blessed with the chance to start working with Alonso as soon as possible, and a strong start could be the difference between staying in the Chelsea squad this summer or heading out on loan.
Levi Colwill is a guaranteed starter in Chelsea’s defense when healthy and the addition of Lacroix will drastically limit the minutes available to alternatives. Acheampong could be in direct competition with Fofana for the role of first reserve.
Cole Palmer
The pressure on Cole Palmer is an entirely different one. He’s not being sold and he’s not going to be benched, but that does not mean he will not be feeling the intensity of a spotlight that was cranked up a notch when he was left out of England’s World Cup squad.
If there is one positive from Palmer’s heartbreak, it is that he was among the first to meet Alonso and can immediately get to work figuring out his role under the new boss. Fans want to see the Palmer that exploded under Mauricio Pochettino, not the one that endured mixed fortunes under Enzo Maresca.
Palmer is this team’s leader and supporters will expect a dominant preseason in which he justifies that hype once again.
Jamie Gittens
Alejandro Garnacho has been ushered out, but fellow left winger Jamie Gittens has survived the squad cull ... for now.
In truth, Gittens was the more disappointing of the pair last season. The Blues agreed to a package of around $76 million (£55 million) to recruit him from Borussia Dortmund but were rewarded with only one goal in 27 games.
Morgan Rogers’s imminent club-record arrival shows Chelsea have effectively already ended their Gittens experiment. A poor preseason under Alonso could formalize that.
Liam Delap
Liam Delap is a striker who scored three goals in 47 games last season. Need we say more?
Granted, only 20 of those appearances came as a starter, but the harsh reality is Delap never looked worthy of more minutes during his debut season at Stamford Bridge, in which on-field disciplinary issues only added to the frustrations.
Chelsea are overflowing with strikers this summer and at least one is heading out the door. João Pedro’s place is guaranteed, but Delap’s is anything but.
Emmanuel Emegha
The latest beneficiary of the pathway between Strasbourg and Chelsea (at least until Valentín Barco’s imminent switch is confirmed) was striker Emmanuel Emegha, whose move this summer was originally scheduled as far back in September 2025.
Emegha finds himself in a similar boat to Delap, with both players competing with Nicolas Jackson for the honor of being Pedro’s backup. The added dilemma for the Dutchman is that he is fighting against a selection of supporters who have questioned why he was signed in the first place.
If Chelsea get the 2024–25 version of Emegha who struck 14 Ligue 1 goals in 27 games, he just might be alright. However, the injury-hit 2025–26 version who netted just four times in 10 games is unlikely to go down well.
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