Xabi Alonso, the new manager of Chelsea, has expressed his determination to retain Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez at the club. This comes despite reports suggesting Fernandez had expressed a desire to leave Stamford Bridge.
Fernandez had been linked with a move to Real Madrid and was previously suspended by Chelsea for two matches last season. This suspension followed comments he made indicating an interest in living in Madrid in the future. However, Real Madrid recently issued a statement clarifying they had no intention of signing the midfielder, who is currently participating in the World Cup.
Alonso confirmed that he has spoken with Fernandez regarding his future. While the specifics of their conversation remain private, Alonso affirmed his wish to keep the player at Chelsea. He stated, “We spoke, but what we spoke about remains private.” When directly asked if he wants to keep Fernandez at the club, Alonso simply replied, “Yeah.”
The manager also provided updates on other players. Alejandro Garnacho appears likely to depart Stamford Bridge this summer. Garnacho is not currently involved in Chelsea‘s pre-season preparations as discussions about a potential move away from the club are ongoing. Alonso noted, “We have spoken with the sporting directors and there is interest from him, from other clubs, so let’s see how it develops.” He added, “Hopefully it finishes in the best possible way for all parties.”
Conversely, Nicolas Jackson could remain at Chelsea. Jackson has returned to the club following a loan spell at Bayern Munich last season. Alonso confirmed that Jackson is expected to join the team for their upcoming tour in Asia. “He will join the tour in Asia and we’re looking forward to starting with Nico at that time,” Alonso stated.
In other transfer news, Manchester United has reportedly finalised a deal for Andrey Santos from Chelsea for a fee of £48m. Manchester United is also said to be nearing a deal for Aston Villa‘s Youri Tielemans, after a move for Ederson was put on hold. Meanwhile, Aston Villa is reportedly monitoring several wingers as they anticipate a busy summer of transfer activity.
The football world is also abuzz with World Cup developments. Jude Bellingham has reportedly stated that Diego Maradona was “ten million times” the player he is. Former Manchester United striker Diego Forlan is poised to take over as the interim manager for Uruguay following Marcelo Bielsa‘s departure after a challenging World Cup campaign. Furthermore, Erling Haaland and his teammates received a warm welcome upon their return to Norway after their World Cup efforts.
Controversy has also arisen, with World Cup supporters reportedly demanding that FIFA ban Argentina striker Lautaro Martinez from playing in the semi-final against England. This demand follows an incident where Martinez jumped into the crowd after scoring against Switzerland, having already received a booking. Argentina is reportedly planning to wear their “lucky” blue shirt for the match against England, aiming to channel the spirit of Diego Maradona and the “Hand of God.”
In a separate incident, Colombian forward Jaminton Campaz is reportedly “in hiding” after missing a crucial goal-scoring opportunity during extra-time in Colombia‘s round of 16 match against Switzerland.
The future of Southampton‘s manager, Tonda Eckert, remains uncertain as he awaits the outcome of a Football Association investigation into a “spygate” scandal from last season. In Scottish football, Martin O’Neill has reportedly had to adjust his plans for Celtic due to Jota‘s injury, despite the winger’s return to Lennoxtown. Daizen Maeda of Celtic is reportedly confident about leaving the club, having indicated that multiple clubs are interested in him. Additionally, Celtic‘s new £6m Colombian striker, Camilo Duran, is a doubt for an upcoming game against Sporting Lisbon in Portugal due to illness.
In cricket, England might allow Andy Flower to miss occasional Tests for an Indian Premier League job-share if it secures his return as coach. In rugby union, England U20 flanker Seb Kelly of Sale Sharks was dismissed for headbutting South Africa‘s Luan Giliomee during the Junior World Championship semi-final. Finally, Argentinian tennis player Facundo Bagnis has accepted a significant suspension from the sport for breaching anti-doping regulations.
Source: skysports.com
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