Chelsea preview: Five key talking points for 2026-27 Premier League season

What the report says

Chelsea enter the 2026-27 Premier League season under renewed pressure after what Al Jazeera describes as the club’s poorest league stretch in three decades. The piece says the west London side have gone through a period of instability on and off the pitch, now face a season without European football, and have again turned to a new permanent manager, Xabi Alonso, to steady the team. According to the report, Alonso arrives after a turbulent spell at Real Madrid and is expected to try a 3-4-3 system, a shape Chelsea last used during their 2016-17 title-winning campaign.

A major focus is Cole Palmer, whose sharp form in his first Chelsea seasons made him one of the club’s most important players. Al Jazeera says Chelsea will likely struggle to click unless Palmer rediscovers that level. The article also highlights Morgan Rogers, signed from Aston Villa, as a player who could either complement Palmer or crowd the same spaces behind the striker. The chemistry between the two is presented as one of Alonso’s biggest tactical puzzles.

The report also points to possible unrest around Enzo Fernandez, who was booed by some supporters amid continued transfer uncertainty. Beyond the squad, it notes questions about Chelsea’s ownership, with reports that Todd Boehly and Mark Walter may be considering selling their stakes back toward majority owner Clearlake Capital. More broadly, the article frames Chelsea as a club still searching for stability after years of managerial turnover, ownership change and uneven recruitment.