Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso is adopting a significantly more secretive approach to team news and player availability, a departure from previous management styles aimed at providing rivals with tactical information. This heightened level of confidentiality, which includes delaying the disclosure of starting lineups until game day, mirrors practices seen at clubs like Arsenal under Mikel Arteta.
Sources indicate that this shift in strategy is a response to past incidents, including a leak of player lineups last season under former manager Liam Rosenior. The club has also reportedly increased security at its Cobham training ground. Alonso's inclination towards secrecy may be influenced by his prior experiences as manager of Real Madrid, where controlling information leaks proved challenging.
For example, during Real Madrid's Club World Cup match against Al-Hilal in June 2025, Alonso's attempt to surprise the opposition by revealing his starting XI to his own team backfired when the lineup was soon reported in the Spanish media, revealing the unexpected start of academy player Gonzalo Garcia. Alonso has been candid during Chelsea's pre-season tours, but has become notably more evasive in competitive matches. He has declined to answer direct questions about primary penalty-takers or first-choice goalkeepers, and has been non-committal regarding the fitness of players like Moises Caicedo, who sustained an injury against Brighton but has continued to attend training at Cobham.
This contrasts with the former practice under Mauricio Pochettino, where Chelsea's website provided detailed weekly updates on player injuries and training status, information that was beneficial to reporters but also provided opponents with insights. Such detailed public updates are not expected to return under Alonso's tenure.
Chelsea co-owner Behdad Eghbali was recently in Monaco for networking purposes, though the club and its affiliate Strasbourg did not participate in any European draws. Eghbali has been actively involved in the club's transfer window, which sources describe as successful despite its closing stages. A late pursuit of midfielder Lamine Camara from Monaco was thwarted when the French club's sporting director, Thiago Scuro, reportedly withdrew from the £47 million deal minutes before the transfer deadline. Sources close to Chelsea described this action as unprofessional.
The club faced scrutiny for not securing a midfield replacement sooner, particularly after the sale of Enzo Fernandez to Manchester City for a fee potentially reaching £125 million. Chelsea maintained they were prepared to keep Fernandez if a satisfactory deal was not met, but the failure to secure Camara left them without an immediate replacement. The team will now rely on midfielders including Moises Caicedo, Romeo Lavia, Valentin Barco, Jordan Henderson, and captain Reece James, whom Alonso reportedly views as a midfielder. Malo Gusto is also a potential option in midfield.
Chelsea has denied reports linking them with a move for free agent Georginio Wijnaldum.
Reece James's potential role in midfield is noteworthy, given his past performances in the position. He played in midfield during key victories last season, including matches against Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona, Aston Villa, and Arsenal. Statistics from the 2025-26 season show that James spent 42% of his playing time in midfield, 52% at right-back, and 6% as a right-sided centre-back.
Meanwhile, Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca has maintained a peculiar habit of not naming Chelsea directly in his comments, referring to them instead as 'my former club' or 'the club where I was'. This is seen as a subtle retort to Chelsea's official statement announcing Maresca's departure, which did not name him but referred to him as 'our former head coach' while praising Alonso. Enzo Fernandez has also adopted a similar practice since joining City. The Premier League fixture between Chelsea and Manchester City in late April 2027 is anticipated to have a charged atmosphere with the return of both Maresca and Fernandez.
Separately, former Chelsea player Gary Cahill was given permission to photograph the team emerging for their first home game, a departure from Premier League rules that generally prohibit photography before, during, or after fixtures if players are on the pitch. Danny Welbeck, who joined Chelsea from Brighton this summer, has reportedly been a positive influence at the club's training ground, engaging with academy players.