Chelsea's last Premier League campaign ended in disappointment, with the Blues finishing in 10th place and failing to qualify for any of the three European club tournaments.
While they reached the FA Cup final, a painful defeat to Manchester City meant Chelsea left the season empty-handed.
During the season, the club parted ways with two managers, Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior. Ahead of the 2026/27 season, the club has entrusted the reins to former Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso.
Alonso faces a challenging task. Last season saw Chelsea drift far from the Champions League spots, let alone from a serious title challenge. However, with significant financial backing and a solid core of players, Alonso could be in with a chance of competing for silverware if the summer transfer window is fruitful.
New signings
This summer, the club has made considerable investments in two young talents: Italian Marco Palestra from Atalanta, which cost them £48.5 million, and Geovany Kenda from Sporting Lisbon, acquired for £42.5 million.
Despite his age, Palestra has already earned two caps for the Italian national team. Meanwhile, 19-year-old Kenda arrived with high expectations, having become the youngest goalscorer in Sporting's history in October 2024, surpassing the records of Simão Sabrosa and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Brazilian Denner, who is a cousin of Arsenal defender Gabriel Magalhães, officially joined the team for £8.5 million after turning 18.
Alongside him, 17-year-old Dastan Satpaev made the move from Almaty's Kairat for £2 million. The young player already has an impressive tally of 54 goals back home, which includes his first Champions League goal from last season.
Another new face is Emmanuel Eméga, arriving from partner club Strasbourg, where he capped off a season as the team's captain.
Chelsea have smashed their own transfer record with the signing of Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa for a staggering £117 million, comfortably eclipsing the previous record set when they signed Enzo Fernandez.
Defensive reinforcements came in the form of Maxence Lacroix, who joined from Crystal Palace for £52 million. Additionally, Alonso has bolstered the squad with experience by bringing in England internationals: Danny Welbeck arrived from Brighton for £5 million, while Jordan Henderson joined as a free agent after leaving Brentford.
The squad also welcomed Argentine Valentin Barco from Strasbourg for £34 million to fill the void left by Marc Cucurella's departure. Spanish defender Pep Chavarria has joined from Rayo Vallecano for £16.3 million to take on the left-back role.
Summer sales
To make room for these new arrivals, the club has executed several high-profile sales. Midfielder Andre Santos has moved to direct rivals Manchester United for £48 million, a surprising departure for many given his participation in 43 matches last season.
Marc Cucurella, a significant figure in Manchester United's success in the Conference League and World Club Championship (having made over 150 appearances for Chelsea), was sold to Real Madrid for £47 million.
English winger Tyreik George has pursued a move to Everton for £18 million, while Alejandro Garnacho has departed on a year-long loan to Aston Villa. Defender Trevo Chalobah has bid farewell to Stamford Bridge, signing with Italian side Como for £25.7 million.
