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Chelsea are not typically a club that needs much persuasion when it comes to signing players.
However, should Marc Cucurella's rumored transfer to Real Madrid materialize, Xabi Alonso would be left with just one senior left back on his books: Jorrel Hato. The gifted Dutchman found his footing during his debut campaign in west London, but it would seem strange not to bring in any competition for a position he hadn't even managed to claim from Cucurella.
Alonso is believed to carry greater influence over Chelsea's transfer activity after the ever-growing group of sporting directors presided over a dismal 10th-place Premier League finish last season. Here are some potential targets the new head coach could be keeping tabs on.
6. Myles Lewis-Skelly
Myles Lewis-Skelly is precisely the kind of adaptable, technically gifted, ball-playing talent that would thrive under Alonso. Chelsea also have a track record of luring away Arsenal's homegrown left-back prospects.
That said, any transfer would come at a steep price given the teenager's long-term contract and Arsenal's clear reluctance to sell.
5. Lewis Hall
In Italy, they have the expression, La minestra riscaldata non è mai buona, reheated soup never tastes as good. But an invitation to return to Chelsea might be far more appealing than what currently sits on the table for Lewis Hall at Newcastle United.
The former Blues academy product departed west London for the northeast in 2023, developing into a well-rounded fullback who combines creativity with defensive reliability. Newcastle, as a whole, have failed to match Hall's individual progress and finished even further down the table than Chelsea last season.
Whether Alonso would look to bring Hall back south remains to be seen, but he wouldn't be the first player Chelsea reclaimed after initially letting him leave.
4. Antonee Robinson
Throughout the 2024–25 season, Antonee Robinson became the first Fulham player in history to record 10 Premier League assists in a single campaign. The relentless, high-energy fullback was equally impressive at the defensive end, drawing widespread interest from some of the league's top clubs. However, Robinson has not set up a top-flight goal for a teammate since February 2025.
A knee injury last summer disrupted Robinson's start to the 2025–26 season, which largely served as a platform for the U.S. international to rebuild his fitness ahead of a home World Cup. Now back to full strength, Robinson's value is climbing once more — so much so that Manchester United are reportedly monitoring his situation.
At 28, the high-octane fullback is older than the profiles Chelsea have typically pursued under BlueCo. Yet given the difficulties an exceptionally young squad has endured in recent seasons, a dose of experience could prove invaluable.
3. Arsène Kouassi
Fewer than two years ago, Arsène Kouassi was still plying his trade in France's third division. It has been a remarkable ascent for the 22-year-old, who made a stunning impact in Ligue 1 last season. Primarily deployed as a wing-back in Lorient's 3-4-2-1 setup, Kouassi's dynamic creative output was a key factor in the newly promoted side's comfortable 10th-place finish on their return to the top flight.
Kouassi contributed an impressive six assists, a figure bettered by only one other defender across the entire French top flight. Should Alonso opt to experiment with a back three at Chelsea, Kouassi could prove to be an ideal weapon down the left flank.
2. Federico Dimarco
"When you perform well in football, you're a fenomeno," Federico Dimarco reflected earlier this year. "When you don't, you're c---." Right now, the Italy international is unquestionably the former.
Dimarco's extraordinary individual season along Inter's left flank earned him the Serie A Most Valuable Player award — a distinction never before bestowed upon a defender. Yet defending is only one dimension of Dimarco's game; the set-piece maestro tormented backlines with a relentless stream of deliveries into the box, accumulating a remarkable 18 assists alongside seven goals of his own.
With just one year remaining on his contract, and while Inter are eager to tie him down quickly, Chelsea could make a move to turn the head of this understated playmaker.
SI answers is our AI answer engine trained on human-created content.
1. Nathaniel Brown
If Chelsea intend to land the highly coveted Eintracht Frankfurt speedster, they would be wise to move fast. Not only is a growing line of rival clubs already forming for Nathaniel Brown, but Frankfurt would be perfectly justified in driving up his asking price with every standout display for Germany at the World Cup.
Brown added further millions to his valuation with a well-taken strike in Friday's emphatic 7–1 victory over Curaçao.