Xabi Alonso urged to sign £60m former Chelsea star after Man Utd approach

New Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso (Picture: Getty)

Xabi Alonso has been advised to sign a former Chelsea star to replace Marc Cucurella following his move to Real Madrid .

Chelsea are searching the transfer market for a new left-back after selling Spain international Cucurella to La Liga giants Madrid .

Cucurella expressed a desire to leave Stamford Bridge after a frustrating season in which Chelsea finished just 10th in the Premier League .

Earlier in the year, the 27-year-old criticised Chelsea’s decision to sack Enzo Maresca and questioned the club’s transfer strategy of signing almost exclusively young and inexperienced players with potential sell-on value.

Chelsea are interested in signing Andrea Cambiaso to replace Cucurella and have already held talks with Juventus over a deal for the Italy international.

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink believes Cambiaso would be a positive signing for new Chelsea boss Alonso but says he would ‘prefer’ his former club to bring Lewis Hall back to Stamford Bridge.

Hall joined Chelsea’s academy at the age of eight but only made 12 first-team appearances before being sold to Newcastle United in 2023 for £35m .

Chelsea sold Marc Cucurella to Real Madrid (Picture: Getty)

Chelsea may be regretting that transfer decision, however, after watching Hall establish himself as one of the best left-backs in the Premier League and an England international.

Hall has been linked with a move away from St James’ Park this summer – with Manchester United said to be interested in a deal – but Hasselbaink hopes he returns to Chelsea.

United are keeping tabs on Hall as they look to provide some competition and cover for injury-prone Luke Shaw ahead of their return to the Champions League.

Lewis Hall could leave Newcastle United this summer (Picture: Getty)

‘Those are the exact kinds of transfers I like – players coming from big clubs where the shirt is really heavy and where they already understand the pressure to win,’ Hasselbaink said of Chelsea’s pursuit of Cambiaso.

‘Bringing that kind of mentality into the squad can only help the other players who are already there. So I like those kinds of links.’

Asked whether he would ‘prefer’ Chelsea to target Hall, who is valued at around £60m, Hasselbaink added to 10bet : ‘Yeah, I would.

Former Chelsea striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink (Picture: Getty)

‘Look, I think with Marc Cucurella leaving, they will need to bring somebody in, but they also have Jorrel Hato who can play left-back and finished the season really strongly and really well.

‘But Lewis Hall has been unlucky not to be part of this England World Cup squad – he’s done really well at Newcastle.

‘He used to be at Chelsea, though, so I don’t know how the club would feel about buying their own player back – most of the time, that’s a bit of an issue psychologically.

New Chelsea signing Marco Palestra (Picture: Getty)

‘I think they can go two ways: they can keep Hato as the first-choice left-back and get a younger lad in as backup, or they look at Hall.

‘But if Lewis Hall comes, he’s going to want to come to play, isn’t he? Because he’s playing regularly at Newcastle. So then it becomes a real battle.

‘But I do like Lewis; I think he’s done exceptionally well. He’s really worked on himself, improved, and he’s a very good player.’

While Chelsea target a new left-back, they have already bolstered their options at right-back with the signing of Marco Palestra from Atalanta .

The 21-year-old Italian became Alonso’s first summer signing after arriving from Serie A and could pave the way for Malo Gusto to leave Stamford Bridge.

Both Chelsea and Gusto are open to a summer move although club bosses have reportedly slapped an eye-watering £75m asking price on the Frenchman .

Another Blues defender in Trevoh Chalobah could be on the move this summer with Chelsea asking for £35m for a player who has caught the eye of Cesc Fabregas at Como .