Chelsea's pre-season preparations conclude this weekend as Xabi Alonso takes charge of his first game at Stamford Bridge against former club Real Sociedad.
Alonso came through the ranks at the Basque club as a player before taking his first steps into management by taking over their B team in 2019. He will now be tasked with getting the better of his boyhood club as he looks to end an arduous pre-season schedule on a high.
Pre-season finale and squad updates
Results are not everything in the summer, but after some mixed performances on Chelsea's tour of Australia and Asia, Alonso will be hoping for a morale-boosting victory ahead of the start of the new Premier League campaign.
The Blues are back to a full complement of players ahead of the weekend, with their remaining World Cup absentees returning to Cobham over the last few days. That includes wantaway midfielder Enzo Fernandez, who has been linked with a move away from Chelsea all summer.
Keen to avoid any distractions heading into the season, Chelsea have been firm about their stance on Fernandez's future, stating that they must receive any potential bids before 5pm BST on Friday amid interest from Manchester City and Real Madrid. Chelsea have placed a £120million valuation on the Argentine and will not entertain any offers that fall short of that figure.
Returning players and transfer uncertainties
Summer signing Emmanuel Emegha could be in line for minutes against Sociedad, having returned to training after a hamstring injury that saw him miss the club's hectic tour. Valentin Barco, Reece James, Morgan Rogers, Jordan Henderson, Malo Gusto and Maxence Lacroix are also in contention for their first minutes of pre-season, while recent arrival Pep Chavarria has joined the group after sealing his move from Rayo Vallecano this week.
Chelsea's squad is in desperate need of trimming down before the close of the transfer window, so Alonso will have plenty of options to pick from against Sociedad. Among those whose futures remain in doubt but who could still feature this weekend are Liam Delap, who is valued at £50m by Chelsea, Nicolas Jackson and Marc Guiu.
All three strikers could still leave the club this summer, with Alonso yet to decide who will provide back up to first-choice forward Joao Pedro alongside Danny Welbeck. The same goes in defence, where as many as five centre-backs could depart before the window closes in two weeks.
Defensive departures and predicted lineup
As Standard Sport reported this week, Tosin Adarabioyo is attracting interest from several Premier League clubs as well as Portuguese giants Benfica. Axel Disasi and Benoit Badiashile, meanwhile, have long been considered surplus to requirements, with the club actively looking to negotiate their exits.
Chelsea could yet keep Mamadou Sarr with the first team, though they are known to be keen on loaning him out to a Premier League club if the opportunity arises. Aaron Anselmino was also expected to leave on loan, but he now looks set to stay after suffering a hamstring injury during the final game of the pre-season tour against Johor Darul Ta'zim.
Predicted Chelsea XI: Penders; Palestra, Lacroix, Colwill, Hato; Henderson, Caicedo; Estevao, Palmer, Rogers; Joao Pedro
Time and date: 2pm BST on Saturday August 15, 2026. Venue: Stamford Bridge. How to watch: CFC+
