Xabi Alonso reveals stance on Enzo Fernandez sale as Chelsea star continues to be linked with Real Madrid transfer

New Chelsea manager Alonso has reaffirmed his commitment to retaining star midfielder Fernandez amid intense speculation surrounding his future this summer. Rumours regarding the Argentinian international's potential departure surfaced after his agent reportedly began exploring options away from Stamford Bridge. Despite reported interest from Spanish giants Real, Alonso used his maiden press conference since taking charge in May to firmly play down any talk of a sale.

During his first media briefing, Alonso expressed his excitement at spearheading the new project at Stamford Bridge and clarified the club's stance regarding Fernandez's future. The 44-year-old manager acknowledged that he had held direct talks with the player amid his impressive international exploits with Argentina at the World Cup.

The former Bayer Leverkusen boss chose to keep the details of their conversation confidential but was entirely direct when questioned about the midfielder's transfer status. When asked if his conversation with Fernandez would be disclosed, Alonso replied: "Yes we have spoken. But as you can imagine what we have spoken remains private."

Alonso then delivered a short, definitive response when asked if he wanted to keep the midfielder at Chelsea: "Yes."

Despite ongoing transfer speculation, Chelsea maintain a strong negotiating position as the 25-year-old remains under a long-term contract until June 2032. Fernandez has played a key role in helping Argentina qualify for the semi-finals of the 2026 World Cup, and will embark on his post-tournament holiday at the end of July.

Alonso’s primary focus is now geared towards restoring a winning mentality and returning the club to the upper echelons of domestic football. He also outlined his grand ambitions to guide the club back into European competition: "That's a goal but to reach that goal you need to do many right things. To be part of that process, how we want to play, how we want to see ourselves, how we want to approach a game wherever we go - that's my job, that's what I'm really looking forward to. But for sure we want to be there."

He added a note of optimism regarding the fresh start being implemented by his coaching staff: "After last year, we are starting from zero... Some new faces from the staff, from the manager. But they are really keen on what we are doing. You see that the energy is good. The excitement is there."

Chelsea expect Fernandez to report back to London for pre-season training as normal once his holiday concludes, according to ESPN. Alonso faces a significant challenge to build chemistry within his new squad before competitive action gets underway in August. The Spanish tactician's first official test in the Premier League will arrive via a demanding opening fixture away against west London rivals Fulham.