Xabi Alonso calls on Chelsea to maintain their passion and desire to improve.

In preparation for the preseason and the new Premier League season, some Chelsea players have already been actively involved in training, and new manager Xabi Alonso said that the players must remain hungry for victory and be passionate and eager to improve.

Xabi Alonso, 44, was appointed Chelsea's new manager in May and signed a four-year contract. In addition, Alonso's managerial career includes leading Bayer Leverkusen to an unbeaten Bundesliga title in the 2023/24 season, as well as winning the German Cup and the German Super Cup.

After a tough challenge, Chelsea finished 10th in the 2025/26 Premier League season, missing out on European competitions. Therefore, leading the "Blues" back to the top will be Xabi Alonso's top priority.

Besides Palmer, who has returned to training, Liam Delap, Lavia, Estevan Willem and João Pedro are also back in training.

Chelsea's new manager Xabi Alonso said in an interview, "We must remain hungry, we must be passionate about the game, and we must always be eager to improve."

"The Premier League is an extremely competitive league, so we must be fully prepared. We must remain highly focused and determined in every detail of the game and in the way we want to play."

Xabi Alonso pointed out, "We must build the right and solid foundation every day and do the most important things well so that we can show it in the weekend game. We still have time to get these things done, but for me, these are the most important pillars of the team and the foundation of the game."

“I can feel that the players are very eager to have a successful season. After last season, we are now starting over. Both the coaching staff and the head coach have new members, and the players are very positive about everything we are doing.”

In addition, Xabi Alonso said, "Actually, we can't say too much right now because we've only trained with some of the players for a few days. But it's clear that the team has great energy and is full of expectations."

"We still have enough time to complete the preparations. As I said before, building a team with the right competitive mentality is the most important task at present."

Image source: Internet