In another shocking transfer during the summer window, Antonio Conte brought in Marcos Alonso from Fiorentina. Not many expected the Spanish defender to join the Blues but Chelsea splashed out £24 million for the 25-year-old, making him another Conte signing.
The only reason why Premier League followers might recall Alonso was due to the fact he survived relegation with the Black Cats a couple of seasons ago. Alonso, though, was not the best defender in Serie A last season and some people have questioned Chelsea’s valuation of the 25-year-old.
The Spaniard still is a decent signing, to be honest, and here are three reasons why Alonso can be considered as a shrewd piece of business by the Blues.
Premier League experience
Purchasing someone from Italy might be a risk but Alonso does have experience of playing in the Premier League. That is the most important reason why Chelsea bought him. The 25-year-old even survived the league with Sunderland, which should be counted as an achievement in itself.
Alonso might not have sparkled during his time at the Stadium of Light but we do know he is a decent player. There might not have been too many options for the team to purchase in the window too; hence Alonso seems perfect for the job at the moment.
No quality left-backs at the club
Chelsea have been playing Cesar Azpilicueta as a left-back but the Spaniard prefers playing on the right. Baba Rahman was also sent out on loan to Schalke which meant the Blues would have been reliant on youngsters mostly, should someone get injured.
The fact that they now have a decent left-back or at least one who is comfortable in that role should provide the right balance to the team. Cesar can play on the right and Alonso on the left, providing Chelsea with a proper cover on both flanks, should Conte decide to play with two wing-backs.
Alonso should fit Conte’s style of play
Put Alonso in a flat back four and he will struggle a bit, but give him the option to operate as a wing-back and he should thrive. That is the opinion of a lot of Fiorentina fans who saw him over the years. Antonio Conte is known for playing his adventurous, yet effective 3-5-2 and Alonso would be a perfect fit for that.
The 25-year-old isn’t the greatest when it comes to defending for his team but he can bomb forward which would certainly help Chelsea out this season.
The Blues brought in someone who isn’t old, has a lot of Premier League experience and can fit into their side perfectly. Not many would have been able to sign someone with all these qualities for a mere £24million in this Premier League era. And for that, Chelsea seem to have completed a great deal for Alonso.