Xabi Alonso has opened door for five Chelsea players to make stunning return

Xabi Alonso's presence at Stamford Bridge has given a number of stars the opportunity to find their feet under a new manager

The beginning of Xabi Alonso's reign at Chelsea could be a well reprieve for several players who have found themselves out of favour at Stamford Bridge. The Spaniard took over in west London last month and has already been working his magic with the Blues.

Marco Palestra, Geovany Quenda and Morgan Rogers have all arrived, with the latter becoming a British transfer record signing. The midfielder joined Chelsea for a fee of £117million, surpassing the previous record held for a matter of weeks by Manchester City's Elliot Anderson (£116m).

FOLLOW OUR CHELSEA FB PAGE! Latest Blues news, analysis and much more via our dedicated Facebook page

Alonso will look at his current squad and see which players are ready to step up to the mark. A number of stars are returning from loans or injury and may have a second chance under the new boss.

Mykhailo Mudryk

Mykhailo Mudryk is the most obvious name on this list, given that he has been sidelined due to a doping ban. The winger was first dropped from the Chelsea squad in November 2024 following an initial suspension by the Football Association.

The 25-year-old was then given the maximum four-year ban after an "adverse finding" for the banned substance meldonium during a routine test. Mudryk appealed the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and is now able to return to play after admitting he broke the rules.

Alonso is "very happy" to have the winger back in the fold but admitted that his return will "take time." He said: "It's too early to tell how he is in terms of fitness, in terms of the game time you need to be involved again, so it's still too early to tell.

"But we are happy for him, especially for him, because we are probably not able to understand what he has been through during this time and how he feels at the moment with the things he has had to cope with."

Mudryk had already made 21 goal contributions in 73 appearances for the Blues and will aim to reach even bigger heights upon his return.

Mike Penders

Mike Penders is yet to make a competitive appearance for Chelsea but his impressive loan at Strasbourg could spell a new era at Stamford Bridge. Robert Sanchez will continue as the starting goalkeeper for the Blues but Penders, 21, will be waiting in the wings

Sanchez is also nursing a minor injury during the pre-season tour, meaning the shotstopper has travelled to Hong Kong to gain valuable experience.

During his temporary spell in France, Penders made 52 appearances across all competitions, keeping 12 clean sheets and was involved in an entertaining 3-3 draw with Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain in October 2025.

The wealth of experience gained in Ligue 1 will no doubt be a key part in Penders potentially getting a run in Alonso's main squad.

Axel Disasi & Aaron Anselmino

Alonso confirmed he wants "four or five" centre-halves to work with at Chelsea this season. This could open the door to defending duo Axel Disasi and Aaron Anselmino, who have both recently returned from loan spells.

Since joining in 2023, Disasi has been loaned out twice to Premier League rivals Aston Villa and West Ham. Anselmino arrived a year later but has had three spells elsewhere, including Borussia Dortmund, Boca Juniors and Strasbourg.

There are reportedly plans to facilitate the exits of Trevoh Chalobah and Benoit Badiashile, with Mamadou Sarr also expected to leave on loan. This opens up space in the centre-half department, with Maxence Lacroix, Levi Colwill, Wesley Fofana and Tosin Adarabioyo still at the club.

Liam Delap

Liam Delap is a unique case in that he hasn't been shipped out on loan. The former Ipswich Town striker joined the Blues last summer but has had a tough time with injury since arriving in west London.

The 23-year-old missed 83 days in total in his debut season for the Blues and was only able to kickstart a run of games for the club in January. However, Delap managed just three full 90s since then and will be desperate to prove his worth to Alonso.

The Spaniard has praised the striker for his pre-season work so far as he said: "Every player that is involved is doing well, Liam as well. It was 60 minutes when he had to battle hard against the centre-backs, a good few lays off, so he's doing well and preparing for the season."

When asked if he felt Delap was lacking confidence, Alonso added: "I see him in a good mood, in a good desire to get proper fitness, proper football feeling good, and he's doing well."