Alonso's first Chelsea signing confirmed after 'irresistible' offer

Xabi Alonso's first Chelsea signing confirmed after 'irresistible' offer were following for an entire year before finalising a deal to sign him, according to Cagliari sporting director Guido Angelozzi. The Italy international has travelled to London to undergo a medical with the Stamford Bridge outfit and he will soon be formally announced as the first signing of the Xabi Alonso era in west London. Palestra will arrive at Chelsea from for an initial transfer fee of €50 million following a fantastic loan spell at Cagliari last season, and his imminent move suggests that Alonso could be set to deploy a 3-4-3 system next year. The 21-year-old excelled as a wing-back on both flanks during the 2025-26 campaign and Chelsea have officially hijacked Inter Milan’s proposed move, with the Blues able to offer a far better financial package than their Italian counterparts. The signing of Palestra has raised doubts over Malo Gusto’s long-term future at Chelsea, amid reported interest from Manchester City, although rumours suggest the Frenchman will only leave Stamford Bridge if a bid worth over €85m is submitted. The pair could therefore share duties as Chelsea’s right-back next season, with Palestra also capable of filling in on the opposite flank following the sale of Marc Cucurella to Real Madrid for a fee of €55m. Chelsea receive Marco Palestra transfer verdict While Palestra isn’t yet a household name, Cagliari sporting director Angelozzi believes he will be an excellent signing for Chelsea. “He has everything: physique, strength, speed, dribbling. We’re talking about a complete player in every way,” Angelozzi told TuttoMercatoWeb. “He’s also a great guy who lives for football, has a beautiful family that supports him. Also a good agent. He has everything it takes to have a great career. “Yes, we spoke even when he wasn’t sure if he was going to Chelsea or Inter. I was hoping he’d go to Inter; I would have loved to see him still in Italy. But Chelsea made an offer that was irresistible.” In a separate interview with , Angelozzi added: “Chelsea and Manchester City had been following him for a year. They were present both at home and away matches and contacted me frequently for information on the boy. They mostly asked me about how he was off the pitch. “He's an exceptional guy, intelligent, polite, and very serious. He has an extraordinary family, always present and respectful. At Cagliari, he managed to win over everyone, immediately entering the locker room and the hearts of his team-mates. “They knew all this data perfectly. My job was simply to convey who Marco was as a person.”