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)
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
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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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