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A promising deal that fell short of its goals
Xabi Alonso’s start at Chelsea was not limited to shaping the features of his new artistic project or signing deals that strengthened the team’s ranks, as he also faced a heavy legacy of expensive contracts that failed to deliver the expected returns.
It seems that one of the most complex of these files has been re-established early with the start of the pre-season.
According to the newspaper Sports Belgian Romeo Lavia is one of the most prominent examples of the signings that have weighed on Chelsea in recent years. The London club spent around 62 million euros to get him from Southampton in the summer of 2023, when the team was led by Mauricio Pochettino.
Lafia was considered one of the hottest midfield talents at the time, thanks to his youth, physicality and early experience in the English Premier League, but repeated injuries blighted his career after his arrival at Stamford Bridge.
The player arrived in London with a right ankle problem and has since picked up 12 different injuries and made just 43 appearances, yet to complete a full game for Chelsea, a disappointing display for a player who has been in contention to lead the midfield for years.
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The current pre-season was a new opportunity for Lafia to start a different chapter under Xabi Alonso, but the start was not ideal when he suffered back pain in the first friendly against Western Sydney Wanderers.
Alonso confirmed after the game that the player had complained of a hamstring problem, hoping to feature in Saturday’s friendly against Tottenham, but stressed the club would not rush his return, saying: “There is no point in taking risks.”
While the new injury does not appear to be serious, it has brought a player whose medical record is still a source of concern back into the spotlight at a time when his contract with Chelsea is up until 2030 while the club continue to wait for his fitness to allow him to show the level at which he attracted attention at Southampton.
