Chelsea fullback Marcos Alonso has claims that the club are prime contenders to win the Premier League next season.
The Spanish full-back is convinced that his side, under the tutelage of Thomas Tuchel, will come back into contention for all the domestic titles in the 2022/23 campaign
Chelsea’s last Premier League title was in 2016/17 under current Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte. However, they have since won another UEFA Champions League title, the UEFA Super Cup, as well as their first-ever FIFA Club World Cup. The club is also the most successful English club of the past two decades.
Alonso, who is in his sixth season with Chelsea and is believed to be one of the players who the club will attempt to move on in the summer, believes that the Blues are capable of competing with any opponent in England. However, he admits that it will be a matter of consistency and hopes the club can find the right level to challenge for the premier domestic title next season.
Chelsea have achieved a lot of their success thanks to a good investment from owner Roman Abramovic. The Russian billionaire, however, is currently in the process of selling off the club as his United Kingdom-based assets, including Chelsea, have been hit by sanctions due to his links to Russian president Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
The club’s new owners are also expected to invest some more money into the squad and this will mean the acquisition of more quality players who will help to challenge for titles.
Asked if he thought the club’s new owners will invest enough to get them challenging again, the Spanish fullback replied: “I would say so.
“We saw a few years back when we won the last one and we have been competing against these teams. I think we are capable of winning anything against any team and we just need to improve a little bit in this consistency during the whole season.
“We’ll try to be a little bit closer for next season.”
Chelsea’s next challenge is a London derby with Arsenal, who have currently lost their last three Premier League fixtures. The Blues will be meeting Arsenal in a bad run of form but Alonso claimed that the match will be tough.
“They are playing good football and they have a good manager, some very good young talent. Of course it will be tough,” he said.
Meanwhile, one of the players Alonso and many of the locker room will be hoping not to lose next season, Antonio Rudiger, has turned down advances from Manchester United.
The German defender’s contract runs up in June but with Chelsea’s current issues, there are no chances for contract negotiations.
Rudiger is happy to remain at the club, but is hoping for a major salary bump which the Blues cannot offer him at the moment, hence his agent’s discussions with other clubs. One of the clubs to approach Rudiger is Man United, who he has now reportedly turned down.
Reports state that the German wants a club who are guaranteed of Champions League football next season, and United, who are currently fifth in the Premier League with an unfavourable run of games ahead of them, are not likely to qualify for the tournament.
The news will come as a big blow to United who are in desperate need of a top central defender and will give Chelsea some hope as they try to sort out their ownership situations and begin talks with Rudiger once more.
