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Chelsea are gearing up for their final pre-season match against Real Sociedad, which will be the first home fixture for Xabi Alonso. The squad is expected to see debuts for Morgan Rodgers, Maxence Lacroix, Valentin Barco, and Jordan Henderson.

Chelsea are coming to the end of their pre-season preparations. This week, the team will play their final friendly at Stamford Bridge against Real Sociedad, which will also be the first home game for new head coach Xabi Alonso.

The highlight of the week has been the return of several new signings and key players to training.

Returns and potential debuts

  • Morgan Rodgers: The Englishman, signed for £117 million, has returned to training at Cobham after a three-week break following his bronze medal at the 2026 World Cup with the England squad. A decision on his participation against the Basques will be made before the match.
  • The trio of new signings: Maxence Lacroix, Valentin Barco, and experienced midfielder Jordan Henderson completed their first full training session. Henderson is training without a cast on his arm, having fully recovered from an injury sustained during the celebrations at the World Cup.
  • Leaders in the squad: Captain Reece James, Malo Gusto, and Enzo Fernandez are all participating in training despite ongoing transfer speculation.