As the BBC has reported, the Blues have only 25 days remaining to reshape their squad after finishing 10th last season and missing out on European football, with new manager Alonso overseeing another major overhaul at Stamford Bridge.
Even reducing the group to a more manageable 25 senior players would require Chelsea to move on 16 before the start of September.
Although Premier League regulations allow Chelsea to accommodate many of their younger and homegrown players outside the standard 25-man squad, the sheer number available to Xabi has created another sizeable transfer operation.
Chelsea have previously separated unwanted players from the main group, with Raheem Sterling and Axel Disasi, among those affected last season.
Fifa rules have since changed around the treatment of players deemed surplus to requirements, adding to the need to reduce the squad.
The scale of Xabi’s options was evident during Wednesday’s (05.08.26) 1–0 pre-season defeat by Juventus in Hong Kong, when Chelsea named 21 substitutes – only five of whom were academy players.
Chelsea have deliberately taken a sizeable group on their Asian tour, with matches against AC Milan in Indonesia on Saturday and Malaysian champions Johor Darul Ta’zim on Sunday allowing Xabi to use two significantly different teams.
Cole Palmer and Levi Colwill missed the Juventus match after sustaining knocks in the previous friendly, while Emmanuel Emegha has continued his rehabilitation from a hamstring injury at Chelsea’s training ground.
Benoît Badiashile, Disasi, Marc Guiu, David Datro Fofana and Caleb Wiley are among those available for permanent or loan moves and are not currently training with the first team.
Seven more players have remained on holiday after their involvement in the latter stages of the World Cup – Enzo Fernández, Reece James, Morgan Rogers, Jordan Henderson, Maxence Lacroix, Valentín Barco and Malo Gusto.
Rogers is one of the headline additions of another busy summer at Stamford Bridge, joining from Aston Villa after helping his former club finish fourth in the Premier League and win the Europa League.
The England international signed a contract until 2033 after representing his country at the World Cup.
Chelsea have also added Marco Palestra, Danny Welbeck, Henderson and Lacroix, while Rayo Vallecano full-back Pep Chavarría is close to joining.
Trevoh Chalobah is close to moving to Como in a £31 million deal including add-ons, while Filip Jørgensen is joining Chelsea’s sister club Strasbourg on loan.
Xabi also has decisions to make throughout his defence.
James remains club captain and can operate at right-back or in midfield, while Gusto and Palestra provide further options on the right.
Chelsea have placed a £75 million valuation on Gusto amid interest from Manchester City, while Jorrel Hato is an option on the left alongside the expected arrival of Chavarría.
There is an even greater squeeze at centre-back, where Xabi has nine players competing for places.
Xabi said the group needs reducing to “four or five”.
Disasi and Badiashile are available for sale, while Mamadou Sarr is expected to leave on loan.
Lacroix would then compete with Colwill, Josh Acheampong, Wesley Fofana and Tosin Adarabioyo.
The future of Aaron Anselmino is also unclear following loan spells with Borussia Dortmund and Strasbourg, with another temporary move possible.
There are similarly significant decisions in midfield.
Chelsea have placed a £120 million valuation on Fernández, although the club would also be prepared to retain the Argentina international.
Moisés Caicedo, Romeo Lavia, Barco, Henderson and Dário Essugo, provide further central options. Essugo is open to a loan move in search of regular football following an injury-hit campaign.
One of the most closely watched situations concerns Mykhailo Mudryk, who has returned after 20 months away from competitive action following anti-doping proceedings connected to a positive test for meldonium.
Chelsea are assessing the Ukraine international’s fitness and options after the Football Association confirmed the resolution of the proceedings last month.
Chelsea would also like three recognised strikers in Xabi’s squad.
The scale of Chelsea’s squad-building predates the current ownership.
During Roman Abramovich’s time at the club, Chelsea had as many as 42 players out on loan before Fifa introduced restrictions designed to limit the practice.
The club’s approach has concentrated heavily on signing younger players to long contracts, with the expectation that players can subsequently be developed, sold or sent on loan.
The Blues’ recent trophy successes include winning the Conference League in 2025 and the Club World Cup later that summer, but their 10th-place Premier League finish last season left them without European football for Xabi’s first campaign.
