Xabi Alonso Expects Enzo Fernandez to Feature Against Luton

Xabi Alonso expects Enzo Fernandez to be in his Chelsea squad against Luton on Thursday night, even as Manchester City circle with growing intent.

The midfielder’s future is the live wire running through Chelsea’s week. City are widely expected to test Chelsea’s resolve before the transfer window shuts on September 1, with their interest driven by head coach Enzo Maresca, who previously worked with Fernandez at Stamford Bridge.

For now, Alonso is planning with him, not without him.

“Yes, so we expect that he's involved,” Alonso said when asked if Fernandez would feature in the Carabao Cup second-round tie at Stamford Bridge. “He has trained, he's training really well, he's a good professional and he will be involved.”

The words are calm. The backdrop is anything but.

Fernandez was met with a split reaction from Chelsea supporters during Monday’s 3-2 win over Fulham at Craven Cottage. Some booed as he came off the bench. Others cheered. The soundtrack summed up a fanbase torn between frustration at his desire to leave and recognition of his quality.

The Argentina international has been open about wanting a move away from Chelsea but, inside Cobham, he continues to train as normal, with no let-up reported in his day-to-day work.

City’s interest has not gone away. Maresca, who knows Fernandez’s game as well as anyone from his time in charge at Chelsea, is understood to be a driving force behind their pursuit as the champions look to strengthen before the deadline.

Asked directly if he wanted to keep Fernandez, Alonso kept the focus on performance and options rather than the noise around the player.

“We want to have the best team possible. We know his qualities. He has shown it and we have to wait, but we will think about tomorrow and let's see how things develop,” he said.

The follow-up was inevitable: would Chelsea only sanction a sale if a replacement is lined up? Alonso refused to be pinned down to a simple formula.

“It is always about understanding the context, the situation, timings, circumstances, so there is not a defined rule for everything,” the Spaniard explained. “You need to know how things have worked, what you want, what you want for the future, so I don't have the rules in stone. We need to assess each situation.”

So Fernandez stays in the frame for Luton. The reaction inside Stamford Bridge, with the transfer clock ticking and City hovering, will tell its own story.