Alonso on player fitness, Fernandez omission and transfers
· Yahoo Sports
Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Premier League game against Brighton at Stamford Bridge (kick-off 14:00 BST).
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Here are the key lines from his news conference:
- There are no fitness concerns over Levi Colwill and Geovany Quenda after the pair missed Chelsea's Carabao Cup win over Luton Town on Thursday.
- But Alonso said they don't want to push Colwill "too hard" after the defender recovered from an anterior cruciate ligament injury last season.
- A decision is still to be made on whether Moises Caicedo is fit enough to return to training on Friday.
- Alonso said he won't speak about replacing Enzo Fernandez as his rumoured departure to Manchester City is "speculation", but said the Blues are ready for anything.
- On leaving the midfielder out of the squad against Luton, he said: "We need the players that are in the best situation to play. We need to take everything into consideration - players that are in a good moment, players that are not feeling that energy to play. For me, it is very important they feel this desire to play and to have good preparation."
- He added: "We talked and we decided it was better not to be part of the squad. He is a top player."
- The Spaniard said the club are "quite close" to the transfer plan they had and they will wait and see how the final days of the window develop: "We will see where we finish - if it's fully executed or there are things still to be done or things we couldn't do. But, for sure, I think, overall, the balance of what we have is going to be good. It is a process that will take time. We are in a good position, with a few more days to see."
- Danny Welbeck scored his debut goal on Thursday and Alonso described him as a "great influence" on the rest of the players and someone who is "raising the standards" among his squad.
- On facing Fabian Hurzeler's Brighton: "I know him very well from Germany, from St Pauli. He's developing the team, new players, a very intense team with interesting things. So, that's why it's going to be a good clash, a good test, on Sunday."
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[BBC]