Alonso identifies first five Chelsea transfers with £74m striker signing to bring the ‘chaos’ – report

Chelsea are preparing for a busy summer of transfers as they look to mould the side in Xabi Alonso’s style, and with a report claiming the Spanish manager has already identified five signings he wants, and with TEAMtalk providing insight into a potential reunion with a former star.

Alonso has signed a four-year deal to succeed Liam Rosenior, effective from July 1, though plans for the new season – and beyond – are already underway.

Chelsea gave the 44-year-old the title of manager (as opposed to head coach), giving him authority over transfers and a major say in the running of the club.

To that end, this insight from our correspondent Fraser Fletcher has revealed the inner workings of those talks and how BlueCo managed to land their man – and ward off a potential Liverpool hijack.

As it goes, a busy summer now lies ahead as the Blues prepare to make some key signings to supplement their squad, and catapult the club back into the upper echelons of the Premier League table.

To kick things off, the arrival of striker Emmanuel Emegha from sister club Strasbourg had been agreed long before Alonso’s arrival.

And to follow things up, it’s also been confirmed that the Blues are set to sign Argentine left-back Valentin Barco, who has accrued two senior caps for his country so far.

In addition to that, a report from Caught Offside now claims Alonso wants to supplement his squad with three more major signings, having identified an elite number nine, an experienced goalkeeper and a ball-playing centre-back.

In light of that, the report adds that Alonso’s ‘biggest priority is believed to be a new striker’ and with his ‘top target’ understood to be an exciting name all too familiar with Chelsea fans and a man who is described as being able to bring the chaos…

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Chelsea keen on Osimhen and reunion with Leverkusen defender

Naming Galatasaray’s Victor Osimhen as the ‘top target’, the report adds: ‘Osimhen would give Chelsea something they have missed for years: chaos, aggression, penalty-box movement and guaranteed fear factor. He is not just a finisher.

‘If Alonso wants Chelsea to become a serious title challenger again, signing a striker of that level would be a huge statement.’

£74m-rated (€85m, $99m) Osimhen will, of course, be a name very familiar to Chelsea supporters after their near-miss two summers ago when trying to sign him from Napoli.

Despite an agreement with the striker to move to the Bridge, the Blues were unable to agree a fee with Napoli, leaving him in limbo at the Italian side and ultimately seeing him move to Galatasaray on a season-long loan, which became permanent a year later.

Now, some two years on, a move to bring the 27-year-old to Stamford Bridge, and with TEAMtalk revealing on Monday that conversations had already been held over a potential deal.

The Blues also want a new goalkeeper, and TEAMtalk revealed earlier this week the six names Alonso admires, and with France and AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan very much back on the radar.

With regards to that new defender, we also understand that Bayer Leverkusen defender Edmund Tapsoba is under surveillance at Stamford Bridge and a potential move to reunite with him with Alonso could be on the cards.

A report on Tuesday evening also claimed the Blues want to bring a former star back to the club, sold for a £28m fee, just two years ago. Any move, though, will be understandably tricky.

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