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New Era Dawns: Ex-Madrid Bosses Face Off
23 Aug
Summary
- New coaches Arbeloa and Alonso take charge of London rivals.
- Chelsea shifts strategy to older, experienced players.
- Welbeck eyes historic 19th Premier League season.
The 2026-27 Premier League season begins with a London derby between Fulham and Chelsea, marking a new managerial era for both clubs. Fulham has appointed former Real Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa, while Chelsea has named Xabi Alonso, also an ex-Real Madrid manager, to lead the team.
Both managers are looking to rebound from challenging stints in the Spanish capital. Arbeloa has brought Real Madrid prospects Gonzalo Garcia and Cesar Palacios to Fulham. Chelsea, under Alonso, has adopted a new transfer approach, signing eight first-team players with an average age of 25.6, including veterans Danny Welbeck and Jordan Henderson.
Danny Welbeck is poised to play in his 19th Premier League season, equaling Jermain Defoe's record for a striker. This comes after Chelsea's difficult 2025-26 season, where they suffered eight league losses from March onwards, the most in the division.
