Xabi Alonso insists he already knows exactly how to get the best out of Morgan Rogers and Cole Palmer in the same Chelsea side — and believes the club's record £117m signing will need very little time to find his feet at Stamford Bridge.

Rogers completed his move from Aston Villa last week, becoming the most expensive British player of all time after putting pen to paper on a six-year deal, with an option for a further year. The 24-year-old is currently on holiday following England's World Cup campaign, so he has yet to link up with the squad during their pre-season tour in Sydney. That absence is not a concern for Alonso, however.

"I have a plan. I have an idea. I can see them linking really well," the Chelsea head coach says of the prospect of Rogers operating alongside Palmer. "We need to have a good mix. If we get that balance right and those special players in the right positions, with good control, then we will be more competitive with and without the ball."

The two England internationals are well known to each other off the pitch, with both players previously describing one another as among their best friends in football. Rogers himself has spoken publicly about wanting to share a dressing room with Palmer, and on the evidence of Alonso's words from Sydney, that dream is very much part of the manager's thinking.

Alonso is confident Rogers will hit the ground running once he arrives in pre-season. "You need players who can have that almost instant impact and I'm sure Morgan won't need much time to adapt to the club, the system and his team-mates," he says. "In that position we needed an important player and I'm sure there were not many better options than Morgan Rogers."

Rogers contributed ten goals and seven assists across 37 Premier League appearances for Villa last season, establishing himself as one of the division's most dynamic attacking midfielders. The noises out of Sydney suggest Alonso views him as the final piece needed to elevate Chelsea into genuine title contenders.

More arrivals expected before the window closes

Rogers is far from the only new face heading to west London this summer. Chelsea are widely expected to confirm the £52m acquisition of French defender Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace imminently, which would make the 26-year-old their oldest incoming signing since 2022. The club have already brought in winger Geovany Quenda from Sporting, striker Emmanuel Emegha and midfielder Valentin Barco — both from Strasbourg, with Barco's deal anticipated in the coming weeks — plus full-back Marco Palestra from Atalanta.

The flurry of activity does, however, leave Chelsea with a bloated squad of nearly 40 players, and Alonso accepts that a significant number of departures will be necessary before the transfer window shuts.

"We need to know that there will probably still be some movement," he acknowledges. "We need to be flexible and quick to act. The main thing is that we have a clear idea, a clear plan that we have built — it will probably change before the transfer window closes."

The market will be watching Chelsea's outgoings just as closely as their arrivals over the weeks ahead. But with Alonso publicly confident about the Rogers–Palmer partnership and a squad being reshaped at pace, the early signals from Sydney suggest he is building something with genuine purpose.

FAQs

Frequently asked

How much did Chelsea pay for Morgan Rogers?
Chelsea signed Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa for a club-record £117m, making him the most expensive British player of all time. He has signed a six-year contract with an option for a further year.
Can Morgan Rogers and Cole Palmer play in the same Chelsea team?
Xabi Alonso says he has a clear plan and idea for how to fit both players into the same side, and believes they will link up well together. The pair are close friends and have spoken publicly about wanting to play alongside each other.
Who else has Chelsea signed this summer?
Alongside Rogers, Chelsea have brought in winger Geovany Quenda from Sporting, striker Emmanuel Emegha from Strasbourg, full-back Marco Palestra from Atalanta, and are expected to complete deals for defender Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace and midfielder Valentin Barco from Strasbourg.