According to the Evening Standard, Alonso praised two academy players ahead of Chelsea's away match against Arsenal. It is expected that 16-year-old Reggie Watson and Nicol Yazdani will be considered for first-team opportunities.

Alonso mentioned two Chelsea academy players at the pre-match press conference ahead of Chelsea's clash with Arsenal.

Chelsea will travel to the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, and Alonso believes the team has sufficient midfield options, despite failing to sign a replacement for Enzo Fernández before the transfer window closed.

Enzo Fernández moved to Manchester City for £120 million, and Chelsea had initially agreed a £47 million deal with Monaco for midfielder Lamine Camara, but Monaco withdrew from the deal at the last minute.

Reece James and Moises Caicedo remain key players in Alonso's plans, though the Ecuadorian midfielder suffered an injury shortly after coming on as a substitute against Brighton, and his availability remains uncertain.

Romeo Lavia has started two matches this season and performed well, but injuries have plagued him since joining Chelsea in 2023.

Summer signing Balco and experienced midfielder Henderson also provide Alonso with additional options. However, Henderson is currently injured, and Reggie Watson and Nicol Yazdani have become potential candidates for first-team promotion.

Alonso said: "We have players with different characteristics and different personalities. Valentin is very young, but he brings a lot of energy. We also have Henderson, who is calm, has excellent football intelligence, understands the game well, so he is close to getting playing time."

Alonso added: "There is also Romeo, Reece, even Gusto can play, and Watson too, as well as academy player Mahdi."

"We have many options, and we need to maintain the right balance. We believe the team has sufficient quality and competitiveness throughout the season, and the ability to compete against every opponent."

16-year-old Watson is the son of former Crystal Palace and Wigan Athletic midfielder Ben Watson. He joined Chelsea during their pre-season tour of Australia and has since trained with the first team.

Watson was on the bench for Chelsea's Carabao Cup match against Luton Town in August but did not feature.

Nicol Yazdani, also 16, participated in the summer tour as well. He featured against Tottenham Hotspur and then started against Juventus in Hong Kong.

As Chelsea prepares for its first major test of the season, both young players may now become part of Alonso's game plan.

Переведено ИИ.

Сайт AF теперь доступен! Читайте полные новости, комментарии, детали матчей и статистику на компьютере. Посетите: www.allfootballapp.com