Chelsea have seen a £21 million bid for Real Madrid left-back Alvaro Carreras rejected, with manager Xabi Alonso keen to reunite with the player he coached at Real Madrid last year. The Blues are in the market for a new left-back following the departure of Marc Cucurella, who joined Los Blancos earlier this summer.
Carreras' Journey and Alonso's Interest
Carreras only moved to the Bernabeu last year after impressing at Benfica, where he finally received the opportunity to showcase his quality. He previously spent time at Manchester United but never made a senior appearance for the club. Spanish outlet Sport reports that Alonso has requested Chelsea sign Carreras, believing he is the ideal replacement for Cucurella. However, Madrid immediately rejected the offer.
Real Madrid reportedly want at least £43 million to sanction his exit, despite Carreras not being a regular starter. Alonso hopes to use the promise of more playing time to convince the 23-year-old to join Chelsea.
Chelsea's Left-Back Options
Netherlands international Jorrel Hato, who joined Chelsea last summer for £36 million, can play at left-back, but the Blues are seeking additional cover in that position. Chelsea's transfer approach has faced widespread criticism since BlueCo took over the club, with several high-profile signings failing to deliver.
Alonso has been appointed as head coach and appears to have been given more control than any recent Blues boss. His success at Bayer Leverkusen, where he won the double, has established him as a top manager. The former Liverpool star has spoken about his desire to change Chelsea's playing style and return to European competition.
Alonso's Vision for Chelsea
Alonso said: "To be part of that process, how we want to play, how we want to approach a game, that's my goal. That's what I am looking forward to having the whole squad. Early days, I am happy, but, for sure, I want to be there (in Europe). To be at Chelsea you need that ambition and hunger."
He added: "We need hunger, passion, we need to want to improve. The Premier League is so competitive. We need to prepare ourselves, we need to be determined in the details, how they want to play. But the most important bit is our game."
