Juan Aponte News

Four Real Madrid stars Xabi Alonso could bring to Chelsea if he takes over as manager

Chelsea could reap the rewards of Xabi Alonso's extensive football network should he take the reins at Stamford Bridge. The Blues are once more in search of a permanent manager following Liam Rosenior's dismissal last month and Alonso is on the market after departing Real Madrid in January. The Athletic has reported decision-makers in west London are already weighing up a move to secure Alonso as Chelsea's new head coach. Liverpool legend Alonso is believed to be open to the prospect, though Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola remains another serious candidate for the position. The ex-Bayer Leverkusen chief and Bundesliga-winning manager would be looking to resurrect his own career in the capital. Yet his arrival could unlock some welcome benefits in the transfer market, with several potential reunions on the cards this summer. FOLLOW OUR CHELSEA FB PAGE! Latest Blues news and more on our dedicated Facebook page One defining feature of the Todd Boehly era at Chelsea has been snapping up young, creative attacking talent. The Blues haven't strictly required all those brought through the door but Arda Guler carries a greater likelihood of delivering returns than most. The Turkey international is one asset Alonso would undoubtedly be eager to link up with again given his glowing assessment of the 21-year-old. The manager gave Guler opportunities across a variety of positions shortly after taking charge in Madrid, making it a priority to fit him into the side whether as a No. 10, out wide on either flank or in central midfield. "With his quality, he's a mix between [Mesut] Ozil and Guti," Alonso said of the youngster in October, drawing comparisons with two of his former Real team-mates. "Guti had that vision and finesse to link play or operate closer to goal and with Mesut I enjoyed football so much. Arda has that something special - that natural talent you can't teach." In that respect, Guler bears a striking resemblance to Cole Palmer, a naturally gifted player you simply slot into the starting XI wherever possible. That sort of adaptability could prove priceless given how acutely Chelsea felt Palmer's absence during his injury spells this season, offering crucial cover in attacking midfield and across the forward line. Recent events at the Bernabeu could mean Aurelien Tchouameni is shortly put up for sale. The Frenchman was linked with Chelsea years before his training ground altercation with Real captain Federico Valverde, which resulted in the Uruguayan being taken to hospital . Each player received a record-breaking €500,000 (£434,000) fine for their part in tarnishing the Real name. And should Los Blancos opt to offload one of the stars to settle the issue, it makes sense captain Valverde would be the priority to keep in Madrid. Central midfield isn't the most pressing concern for Chelsea following the emergence of Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo and Andrey Santos as a capable trio of late. That said, with Fernandez nodding to a possible departure in March and Romeo Lavia's well-documented fitness woes, bringing in one more quality addition to the engine room appears a prudent move. The fact Tchouameni has only two years remaining on his deal, coupled with his recent controversy, could work in Chelsea's favour when it comes to securing the player at a discounted price. The 26-year-old has been a regular fixture in Real's midfield under both Alonso and successor Alvaro Arbeloa, indicating the Blues might be landing a bargain if he's deemed expendable this summer. Chelsea's backline simply hasn't looked the same since Thiago Silva left the club in 2024. Much in the same vein, David Alaba could be the seasoned, authoritative presence needed to guide and galvanise some of the club's younger defensive talents this summer. The Austrian, who turns 34 in June, is out of contract that same month and will be available on a free transfer. And while injuries have hampered his involvement in recent seasons, there could still be considerable value in securing his signature if he can maintain his fitness. Levi Colwill, Wesley Fofana, Josh Acheampong, Mamadou Sarr and others would have a great deal to gain from Alaba's defensive wisdom. Not to mention the significant benefit the veteran could bring in helping certain players clean up their disciplinary act and passing on his expertise in keeping a cool head under pressure. A breakthrough campaign in Madrid could nevertheless conclude with Gonzalo Garcia departing Real this summer. Reports suggest Los Blancos are keen to cash in on the player's growing reputation given he is unlikely to displace Kylian Mbappe as the first-choice striker. As it happens, Garcia netted the opening goal of the Alonso era at Real during last year's FIFA Club World Cup. The 22-year-old has since gone on to score six times and contribute three assists in 36 appearances across all competitions, though only 13 of those were starts. The Liam Delap experiment has yet to bear fruit at Stamford Bridge following a disappointing debut season in west London. And aside from Joao Pedro, who arguably flourishes more when operating off a centre forward, Chelsea look somewhat short of options in attack. Much like Julian Alvarez's departure from Manchester City after finding Erling Haaland an insurmountable obstacle, Garcia could opt to leave Real in pursuit of more regular first-team football. Chelsea could find themselves the fortunate recipients of a young talent who has shown flashes of world-class finishing over the past 12 months.

2026-05-13

Howard Webb praises VAR process in ruling out West Ham equaliser against Arsenal

Howard Webb has commended the process that led to West Ham’s equaliser against Arsenal on Sunday being overturned, describing Pablo’s foul on the goalkeeper David Raya as “clear and obvious”. In what has been described as the most consequential decision in the history of the video assistant review system, the referee Chris Kavanagh chose to rule out Callum Wilson’s late goal at the London Stadium, handing Arsenal an advantage in the title race. While Webb, the chief officer of Professional Game Match Officials (PGMO), did not blame the official for missing the initial incident he argued it was inevitable that VAR “would have to get involved”. Speaking on Match Officials Mic’d Up, Webb said PGMO had specifically warned players at the beginning of the season against making the type of foul performed by Pablo on Raya. “Is it a foul on the goalkeeper? Categorically, yes,” he said. “We’ve said all season, including in pre-season briefings with the players, that if a goalkeeper is impeded by an opponent grabbing or holding their arms and therefore can’t do their job, they’ll be penalised. We’re not just talking about contact with goalkeepers, we’re talking about a specific type of contact when the goalkeeper’s arms or hands are being interfered with, stopping them doing their job. “When you see the best angle on this, you’ll see that that’s what happens from Pablo. And on the video, it’s clear and it’s obvious, and it happens early. Even though it’s not clear and obvious to the referee because he’s got a huge group of players in a penalty area, and it’s difficult to see, when the VAR sees this, of course, they have to get involved.” Webb said that officials at Stockley Park, in this case the VAR, Darren England, and assistant VAR, Akil Howson, had been aware of the significance of the moment when making their decision and had been “diligent” in their work. The check process lasted more than four minutes in total. “It takes a bit of time because they’re going through a process pretty diligently because they really respect the game, and they’re aware, of course, of the size of this situation, the importance of this situation,” Webb said. “We have to take our time to get it right in this really important situation. We did, and you’ll see this offence being identified, and rightly, the VAR recommended the referee look at the screen and looked at everything as well, not just that individual situation. They were diligent. They looked at the entire piece and were able to identify the offence that needed penalising.”

2026-05-12

Mikel Arteta’s relief as ‘brave’ VAR decision takes Arsenal closer to title

Mikel Arteta saw his Arsenal team close in on the Premier League title with a 1-0 win at West Ham after a refereeing decision he said could “decide the history of two massive clubs”. Leandro Trossard scored for Arsenal in the 83rd minute, moments after David Raya had produced a huge one-on-one save to deny the West Ham midfielder Mateus Fernandes. But the game will be remembered for what happened in the 95th minute when the West Ham substitute Callum Wilson thought he had equalised after a corner broke to him. Instead, the video assistant referee, Darren England, spotted a foul by Pablo on Raya and after Chris Kavanagh was sent to the pitchside monitor to scrutinise 17 replays, the goal was ruled out. It meant Arsenal went five points clear of Manchester City at the top, having played an extra game, while West Ham stayed in the final relegation place, one point behind Tottenham, having played a match more. Arsenal and West Ham each have two league games remaining. “It was in the most chaotic circumstances when two teams are playing for their lives,” Arteta said of the disallowed goal. “It’s a call from the refs that I think is very brave but very consistent with what they’ve been talking about all season. When I have to be critical, I have been. Today, I have to praise them, at least for giving the option to a referee to decide – away from the lights and the chaos, to give clarity to him to make the right call. And when you look at the action in that way, I think it is an obvious error. The goal has to be disallowed. So congratulations because they made a big call in very, very difficult circumstances. “Probably today I have realised how difficult and how big is the referee’s job. Because you’re talking about a moment that can decide the history, the course, of two massive clubs that are fighting with their lives to achieve their objectives.” The West Ham manager, Nuno Espírito Santo, was surprisingly calm; in no mood for outspoken comments. He promised his team would “fight until the last second” of the season as he lamented the inconsistency of refereeing. “All of us don’t understand what is a foul,” Nuno said. “Even the referees confuse themselves. Sometimes, it is; sometimes, it is not. It is upsetting and frustrating for us today. It’s a lack of consistency. It seems like the rules have changed. The Premier League have to solve it. They have to come to the clubs and explain because everybody is confused.”

2026-05-10