Xabi Alonso’s managerial reputation was built from his epic stint at Bayer Leverkusen, which is what earned him a move to Real Madrid and now Chelsea. When the Spaniard in Germany arrived in the middle of the 22/23 season, the club would have been happy enough to avoid relegation. At that point, it was a risky appointment. He had no experience managing at the top level.
The results were almost instant. Bayer Leverkusen finished that season in 6th, quite the turnaround when it had looked like they were going to be in relegation battle.
Absolutely nobody could have predicted what would happen the next season. Bayer Leverkusen became the first invincible champions in Bundesliga history. Alonso became a club legend. Neverkusen became Neverlusen under his watch.
Chelsea will be hoping that Alonso is able to pull off something similar at Stamford Bridge. For that to happen, they would need to provide him with the right players. And it looks like one of Bayer Leverkusen favourites is on Chelsea’s radar.
Chelsea eyeing Xabi Alonso favourite who starred in Bayer Leverkusen success
Marc Cucurella is looking to leave Chelsea this summer. If the right offer arrives, Chelsea are believed to be open to the idea as well. If they do part ways with the Spaniard, they would need to bring in a replacement.
According to TEAMtalk, Chelsea have identified three potential replacements for Cucurella. One of them is Alejandro Grimaldo.
The report states that Grimaldo is seen as a perfect fit for Alonso. With Chelsea now seemingly willing to sign players over 27 years of age following the Spanish manager’s arrival, an interest in the left-back is not surprising.
After all, Chelsea will be looking to sign someone capable of playing that Grimaldo role well in Alonso’s system. So, why not sign the Spaniard himself?
Would Grimaldo fit in the Premier League?
Obviously, there are going to be some question marks around Grimaldo. He is 30 years old and has never played Premier League football.
So, it won’t be an easy transition for him. He is absolutely world-class when it comes to his output in front of goal. But will the defensive side of his game be able to hold up to Premier League standards?
These are genuine concerns. But then again, in the scenario that it does not work out, Chelsea have an able backup option in Jorrel Hato, who has grown immensely over the course of his debut season.
Also, one needs to recognise that Grimaldo is a specialised role player. His weaknesses have been present at Bayer Leverkusen. But Alonso found a way to hide them while highlighting his strengths. The manage might be able to replicate that at Chelsea as well.
