Marc Cucurella's Gone and Chelsea's Left With One Guy. What's Xabi Alonso Even Doing?!

Alright, Seattle, pull up a chair because we gotta talk. You hear the chatter? Marc Cucurella, yep, he's apparently outta Chelsea and headed to Real Madrid. No disrespect to the dude, but the real talk is what it means for the Blues. Xabi Alonso, the incoming coach, is gonna be left with only *one* senior left back on his roster: Jorrel Hato. ONE! Are you kidding me? Hato had his debut season in west London, and he's talented, but he didn't even lock down the starting spot from Cucurella. So, is Alonso really going to roll with just one guy for a crucial position after they stumbled to a disastrous 10th-place Premier League finish last season? This is wild, fam. Alonso reportedly has more pull in recruitment now, so his decisions are under the microscope. Let's dig into some of the names floating around.

Young Guns or Reheated Soup?

First up, there's Myles Lewis-Skelly. This kid is exactly the kind of versatile, silky, ball-centric player that would fit Alonso's style. And hey, Chelsea loves snatching homegrown left-back talent from Arsenal, right? But here's the catch: a deal for Lewis-Skelly would be super pricey. The teenager's got a lengthy contract, and Arsenal isn't exactly keen to let him walk. Talk about a tough negotiation! Then you've got Lewis Hall. Now, I love a good comeback story, but in Italy, they have this saying, "La minestra riscaldata non è mai buona," which means reheated soup never tastes as good. Hall, a former Blues academy star, left for Newcastle in 2023 and really blossomed into a well-rounded defender, bringing both creativity and solidity. Newcastle, as a team, didn't exactly shine last term, finishing even lower than Chelsea. So, would an offer to return to Chelsea be more tempting than what he's got on the table at Newcastle? It's a big question if Alonso wants to bring a gem back after letting him go once.

Experience Needed for the Blues?

Here's an interesting one: Antonee Robinson. This dude is a straight-up force of nature! During the 2024-25 season, he made history, becoming the first Fulham player ever to notch 10 Premier League assists in a single campaign. Ten assists, people! He was just as productive on defense, and elite teams were sniffing around. But then, a knee surgery last summer messed with his start to the 2025-26 campaign. He spent that season getting back to full health for a home World Cup. Now, he's fit and firing again, and his stock is on the rise, so much so that Manchester United is reportedly interested. At 28, he's older than the typical young talents Chelsea usually goes for under BlueCo. But honestly, given how much an exceedingly young squad has struggled in recent years, a little experience might be exactly what the doctor ordered. So, what's Alonso going to do? Is he going to break the bank for a young phenom like Lewis-Skelly, tempt Lewis Hall back for a second go-around, or bring in the proven, battle-tested Antonee Robinson? With only Jorrel Hato on the books, the next move for Chelsea's left-back spot isn't just important, it's critical for this season. We're watching this one closely, folks.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.