Alonso confirms James as Chelsea's captain, pushes for Fernandez stay

Alonso, the former Real Madrid man, officially took the reins back in May. He shot the breeze with Sky Sports after Chelsea's initial summer training session. Of course, James and Fernandez weren't around. They were busy prepping for Wednesday's England-Argentina World Cup semi-final. Priorities, I guess.

Alonso laid it on thick about James. Versatility. Leadership. "He can attack from inside or outside. He can deliver, he's good at set-pieces," the gaffer declared. And don't forget the academy roots, apparently crucial for 'transmitting club values' to the new blood. James, only 26, got the armband in August 2023. He played 39 times last season. Enough to sneak into England's squad, anyway.

Then there's Fernandez, the £106.8m Benfica import from January 2023. He supposedly had his 'best campaign' last season. Ten Premier League goals, four assists in 36 games. Fair enough. Plenty of summer chatter had him off, mostly to Real Madrid – who, predictably, denied any interest publicly. Alonso, though? He's supposedly had a quiet word. Reassured the 25-year-old midfielder about his 'plans.' "Enzo's a great player and we are looking forward to having him," Sky Sports quoted him saying. Standard stuff, really.

Now, Alejandro Garnacho. Chelsea's happy to offload the 22-year-old winger. He was a no-show in Alonso's first training session, which speaks volumes. Roma's apparently one of the clubs sniffing around the Argentine. Alonso admitted there's 'external interest.' Naturally, he also insisted things are 'fluid.' Always are. Striker Nicolas Jackson, fresh off a Bayern Munich loan stint, is set to join the lads on their Asia pre-season jaunt.