Xabi Alonso clears out four Chelsea players, Cucurella joins Real Madrid

Xabi Alonso has been in charge of Chelsea for just a few weeks but the Spaniard has already made his mark on the squad

Sport | Kasra Moradi | Senior Sports Journalist 05:15, 25 Jul 2026

Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso has permitted four players to leave the club already as his major summer revamp continues. A swift and decisive transformation is underway at Stamford Bridge, with the new head coach giving his approval on wholesale changes.

The 44-year-old Spaniard assumed control on July 1 after agreeing to a four-year contract in May. His arrival marks a fresh start for the west London club following a turbulent campaign that saw three different managers take charge.

Expectation levels surrounding Alonso are understandably high, largely as a result of his managerial success at Bayer Leverkusen, which subsequently earned him a brief tenure in charge of Real Madrid. Renowned for his sharp tactical acumen and leadership qualities, Alonso was chosen to lead Chelsea’s new era and has wasted no time putting his stamp on the group ahead of the 2026/27 season.

New Signings and Squad Overhaul

Alongside giving approval for four player exits, Alonso has overseen the signing of several players. Chelsea have secured high-profile signings in:

• Morgan Rogers (England international) — £117m
• Geovany Quenda (19-year-old winger) — £40m
• Marco Palestra (21-year-old defender) — £47m

With over a month remaining in the transfer window, the rebuild in SW6 is far from over, with further arrivals and departures on the horizon.

Departures

Marc Cucurella — Real Madrid

The first high-profile departure of the summer came when Alonso green-lit defender Marc Cucurella's move to Real Madrid. The left-back's swift exit caught many off guard, given he had been considered one of the standout performers in his position in the Premier League.

Cucurella was a crucial member of the squad last season under Enzo Maresca, but his performances declined under the Italian's successor, Liam Rosenior. The Spanish full-back publicly criticised the managerial instability and the club's management in March.

He later spoke openly about discussions with incoming manager Alonso and being excited by the prospect of playing under his fellow countryman — but opted to join Real Madrid, driven by his ambition to return to Spain after five years in the UK. The opportunity to join Los Blancos also proved too tempting to reject.

For Chelsea, it was logical to approve the transfer, given the Blues reportedly generated £17.5m profit in accounting terms based on the fee they had paid Brighton to sign him. They succeeded in selling a 28-year-old in a way that strengthened their financial standing — a shrewd move given they remain without a front-of-shirt sponsor and haven't qualified for European competition. The decision to let him go was softened by the rise of youngster Jorrel Hato at left-back last season.

Tyrique George — Everton

The new Blues boss also sanctioned the departure of 20-year-old winger Tyrique George, who finalised a transfer worth £18m plus £6m in add-ons to Everton. George spent half of last season on loan at Everton and impressed David Moyes.

Alonso would have been more than satisfied to pocket such a sum for a player who managed just 37 appearances throughout his entire Chelsea career, particularly with the likes of Jamie Gittens, Pedro Neto, Estevao and new signing Rogers all providing quality out wide.

Alejandro Garnacho — Aston Villa (Loan)

Chelsea's abundance of wide options has also led Alonso to deem Alejandro Garnacho expendable. The Argentine has put pen to paper on a season-long loan agreement with Aston Villa, with a £42.5m buyout clause set to become mandatory should certain conditions be fulfilled.

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