Chelsea Football Club enjoyed a flurry of activity in the transfer market as the window came to its conclusion last night, including the signing of left-back Marcos Alonso from Fiorentina in a move believed to be in the region of £24 million.
The 25-year-old has previously played in the Premier League after stints with Bolton Wanderers from 2010 until 2013 and a loan spell at Sunderland under former Chelsea midfielder Gus Poyet in 2014. Now he’s signed a five-year contract to move to Stamford Bridge and play under the Blues’ new head coach Antonio Conte.
Speaking to the club’s official website the Spaniard confirmed his delight at taking his career to the next level by joining Chelsea at a time when the West London club are hoping to return themselves to the top end of the Premier League table. They finished a disappointing tenth last season in a campaign that saw the sacking of José Mourinho and the arrival of Dutchman Guus Hiddink in his second spell as interim manager of the Stamford Bridge side.
Alonso said, “I’m very happy. It’s a step up in my career and I think this is the perfect place for me to continue developing. It’s time for me to win some titles. It was an easy decision for me to make when I heard the club were interested in signing me. My family and close friends know Chelsea is the club I have dreamed about playing for so I’m really excited about the challenge and I’m looking forward to working with my new team-mates”.
Alonso is a former Real Madrid academy graduate who has previously represented his home country in their under-19 side. During his two seasons at Fiorentina he notched up 75 appearances for the Serie A side, including take them to a fifth-place finish in Italy’s top-flight last time out.