Alonso Pushes Chelsea to Pursue Real Madrid Left-Back Carreras After Initial Bid Falls Short

Fresh from his spell in charge at Real Madrid, Xabi Alonso has made it abundantly clear to Chelsea's hierarchy that he wants left-back Alvaro Carreras at Stamford Bridge. The Spanish tactician, who managed the 23-year-old at the Bernabéu before departing in January 2026, is pushing hard for the deal to materialise.

Alonso arrived at Chelsea following his exit from Madrid and has wasted little time identifying his targets. Carreras sits high on that wish list, having worked alongside the manager during the first half of last season. Despite a somewhat mixed spell in the latter stages of the campaign, Alonso remains convinced of the defender's quality and potential.

The problem, however, is one of valuation. Chelsea's initial approach came with a €25million (£21.3m) offer attached—a figure Madrid dismissed out of hand. The La Liga outfit are standing firm at €50million (£42.6m), a price that reflects what Benfica received when Madrid snapped him up just twelve months earlier.

The Stamford Bridge club recognise the asking price is realistic given the market conditions and would be prepared to meet it, provided Alonso can offer Carreras the assurance of regular football. That guarantee proved elusive during his most recent campaign in Spain, with the arrival of Marc Cucurella from Chelsea itself limiting his opportunities.

Cucurella's summer transfer to Madrid has established him as Jose Mourinho's primary choice at left-back for the forthcoming season. The Spaniard is currently catching the eye at the 2026 World Cup, while Ferland Mendy remains sidelined with a long-term injury. Madrid have also moved Fran Garcia on to Real Betis, further emphasising their reshaping of the defensive line.

For Carreras to make the switch back to the Premier League, Alonso will need to demonstrate that Chelsea represents the perfect opportunity for him to reclaim the starting berth he lost in Madrid.