Xabi Alonso shone in a midfield masterclass from Romeo Lavia in Chelsea’s 2-0 win over Manchester United on Saturday afternoon.
Coming into the game, the Belgian has made an impressive start to the season, where he has been crucially fit and ready, but his display at Stamford Bridge at the weekend was his best of the campaign to date. It was his best performance since moving to west London more than three years ago.
Alonso liked what he saw from Lavia: “He knew [he was going to start] at the right time, but he knew yesterday. From a midfielder’s point of view, it was a high, high performance for me.
FOLLOW OUR CHELSEA FB PAGE! Latest Blues news, analysis and more via our dedicated Facebook page
“He did a lot of things right, he always connected the defense with the attacking players, he managed to change the game, he made a lot of right decisions, he was very dynamic, competitive.
“So I think not just this game but the last two, three weeks he’s been playing at a really good level and I’m really happy for him and he deserves a lot of credit for his performance today.”
Alonso is right. There has been a clear improvement from Lavia in the first few months of the 2026/27 season – much of it down to his physical level, with the midfielder looking in great shape.
This is definitely a support for Chelsea and Alonso. After the Blues failed to sign Lamine Camara despite agreeing a deal with AS Monaco in the closing stages of the summer transfer window, there was an uproar from many supporters online. Especially after Chelsea’s exit sanction for Enzo Fernandez.
That leaves Chelsea shorthanded in the midfield department, but Lavia has stepped up in the last few weeks. So is Jordan Henderson. Suddenly, Chelsea aren’t looking so light in the engine room, but that shouldn’t deter the Blues once the January transfer window opens.
Since the summer transfer window closed, Stamford Bridge insiders have highlighted the possibility of Chelsea re-entering the midfield market come January. Regardless of Lavia’s rise in form, this should still be the plan.
Alex Scott appears to be Chelsea’s top target when the mid-season transfer window officially opens. Bournemouth kept hold of the 23-year-old midfielder in the summer despite a £64m bid from Chelsea, with Marco Rose desperate to keep the England international in the manager’s debut season in the Premier League.
They managed it, but the Cherries could be looking at flogging Scott in January. Scott has just over 18 months left on his deal at the Vitality Stadium and while Bournemouth are keen to tie him down to a new deal, it is understood the big guns will be called up again at the start of 2027.
Sources close to the situation say Bournemouth are open to selling Scott, who they signed from Bristol City for £25m in 2023, in mid-season if they receive a £100m offer.
Another condition will be where “Albalılar” will be located in the Premier League table. Rose’s side have had a terrible start to the league season but have won their last six matches in all competitions – without conceding a single goal. Their last defeat came on October 10, where Chelsea, incidentally, put them to the sword at Stamford Bridge.
In this regard, Bournemouth should feel good about selling Scott, and stop the dramatic turn of events on the pitch.
Whether or not this new-look Lavia and Henderson prove they can still compete at the highest level in recent weeks, Chelsea should look to add another midfielder in the January transfer window. Whether it’s Scott or someone else, if the Blues can’t justify spending £100m, there’s work to be done.