Chelsea omission of Fernández was made for football reasons, Alonso says

Xabi Alonso says leaving Enzo Fernández out of Chelsea’s matchday squad for the Carabao Cup win over Luton Town was a football decision, not one shaped by Manchester City’s reported interest.

Alonso addresses Fernández’s sudden absence

Chelsea beat Luton Town 2-0 at Stamford Bridge on Thursday to reach the Carabao Cup third round, but Fernández’s absence was a major talking point. The midfielder had appeared as a substitute in Monday’s Premier League opener against Fulham, yet he was left out of the matchday squad entirely for the cup tie.

Earlier on Thursday, Alonso had indicated that Fernández would play a part in the second-round fixture. After the match, the manager said the decision to leave him out was taken by him and the club after considering what was best for the team and which players needed minutes.

Alonso also said Fernández was training well and described him as a good professional, adding that he had nothing negative to say about the midfielder. He rejected the suggestion that Fernández had refused to play.

Manchester City links remain in focus

Alonso was asked whether reports linking Fernández with Manchester City had affected his selection decision. He said the omission was about the Luton match and the need to give other players minutes, with Chelsea due to face Brighton on Sunday.

Manchester City are understood to be preparing a bid for the 25-year-old World Cup winner. Chelsea had set an informal deadline for offers after placing a £120 million valuation on Fernández, but no written bids had been received by the Aug. 13 deadline. Sources said Chelsea subsequently considered the matter of his future closed.

For more on the background to this saga, see our earlier piece on Fernández’s valuation and status at Chelsea, and Alonso’s most recent comments on his plans for the midfielder.

Chelsea secured the win in Alonso’s first competitive home game in charge. Danny Welbeck scored on his debut, while Estevao Willian forced an own goal from Luton defender Hakeem Odoffin to seal progress.

Without European football this season, the Carabao Cup is an important competition for Chelsea. They will host Leeds United in the third round during the week commencing Sept. 7, while Sunday’s match against Brighton offers the next opportunity to see whether Fernández is involved.

In other news

Chelsea have agreed a £7.5 million deal with Aston Villa for goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez. Read more on the wider squad reshuffle here.

Catch up on how Alonso set up his side against Fulham in his first Premier League selection.

For more on Alonso’s early message to the squad, see his latest press conference comments.