Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso brushed aside talk of the club chasing experienced players like Jordan Henderson and Danny Welbeck. The former Real Madrid boss made his comments after guiding Chelsea through a preseason match against Western Sydney Wanderers in Australia on Tuesday.
Alonso was quizzed about whether his squad needs added experience in the dressing room. He dismissed the question, saying there will be plenty of transfer rumours to manage between now and the end of the window.
"I'm sure that from today until the last day of the transfer window there will be a lot of rumours, so to be commenting on all of them... it's going to be a hard task," he told reporters.
The Chelsea boss outlined his vision for squad building ahead of the Premier League campaign. He stressed the need for proper balance across qualities, positions and squad depth.
"We want to have a complete squad and we want to make a good team. For that we have an idea, we have a plan and let's see how we set it up until the start of the Premier League," Alonso said.
He emphasized that learning is crucial at every level, regardless of a player's age or experience. Alonso noted that while pace and dribbling skills matter, game intelligence is equally vital in modern football.
"Everyone has to learn, everyone. It doesn't matter if you are young, if you are more experienced, this is what happens in the game," he explained.
"You can be quick, you can be good at dribbling, but you can have this game intelligence to do the things."
The manager stressed the importance of quick preparation given the Premier League starts in roughly a month. He acknowledged that managing fitness and readiness is now critical in professional football.
When asked about his playing memories of Welbeck, including the striker's goal against Real Madrid at the Bernabéu, Alonso kept his cards close to his chest. "Many rumours at the moment, so no comment," he replied, declining to engage further on the speculation.
