Claude Makelele believes new Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso Chelsea can succeed with Moises Caicedo at the heart of the team and insists the club does not need to sign Granit Xhaka for the new Chelsea manager to be successful.
The former Chelsea, Real Madrid and France midfielder has backed Caicedo to become the team’s leader, arguing that Alonso should build around the players already at Stamford Bridge rather than immediately relying on experienced additions from elsewhere.
Speaking to ComeOn, Makelele praised Xhaka’s qualities but suggested Moises Caicedo already possesses the qualities of a midfielder capable of driving the club forward.
Chelsea have been linked with several experienced players since Alonso took charge, with Bayer Leverkusen captain Xhaka among the names mentioned. Having worked together successfully in Germany, speculation over a reunion has continued throughout the summer.
However, Makelele believes Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso should first focus on getting the best out of the squad he has inherited.
Chelsea Manager Xabi Alonso Can Build Around Moises Caicedo
Caicedo enjoyed an outstanding campaign last season, establishing himself as one of Chelsea’s most consistent performers after a difficult first year following his big-money move from Brighton & Hove Albion.
The Ecuador international became a vital part of the side in both defensive and attacking phases, regularly breaking up opposition attacks while also helping control the Chelsea midfield.
Makelele believes those performances should now be the foundation of Chelsea’s project under Alonso.
Rather than placing leadership responsibilities on a new arrival, he feels Caicedo is ready to embrace a bigger role and become one of the team’s main figures on and off the pitch.
The former Blues midfielder acknowledged that Xhaka would bring valuable experience, particularly given his winning mentality and previous relationship with Alonso. However, he believes adapting to Chelsea is never straightforward, regardless of a player’s reputation.
Many signings have needed time to settle at Stamford Bridge over the years, and Makelele feels Chelsea manager Alonso Chelsea should avoid disrupting a Chelsea midfield already built around Caicedo.
He also suggested that becoming Chelsea’s leading midfielder would represent an important step in Caicedo’s own career development.
Makelele said: “Does Xabi Alonso need Granit Xhaka to succeed at Chelsea? Yes and no. Yes and no, because there is only one Caicedo at Chelsea.
“When you take over a team, you should lean first on the players already inside the building before handing that responsibility to someone from outside.
“Of course Xhaka is a great player, and that kind of experience can bring a lot. Chelsea, as I keep saying, is a big club with big pressure, and you have to adapt fast.
“We’ve seen it this season: most new signings struggle to adapt quickly. Some need a year, two years, because it’s a special club, and even one good year is a result.
“Without Caicedo there is no Chelsea. I’m fully behind Caicedo. He’s the complete player. But now he has to understand that this is his team to lead.
“It matters for his career: become the key man. He has the ability to do both, but it has to come from within. So I’ll say it to him again: go on, don’t be afraid, it’s only football. Take what’s yours.”
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Claude Makelele Sends Xabi Alonso Chelsea Warning
Makelele also discussed the challenge awaiting Alonso as Chelsea manager, insisting that managing the Blues brings unique pressure.
The Spaniard arrived at Stamford Bridge after impressing in Germany and is expected to guide Chelsea back towards the top end of the Premier League as the new Chelsea manager.
Although expectations remain high, Makelele believes supporters primarily want to see the club competing consistently again after several inconsistent seasons.
Securing a place among the Premier League’s top teams would represent an important first step in Xabi Alonso Chelsea’s rebuild, according to the former midfielder.
At the same time, Makelele warned that Chelsea’s demanding environment makes the job one of the toughest in English football.
He pointed to the club’s history of success and the expectation that comes with it, arguing that Alonso will need strong leadership and resilience if he is to succeed.
Despite previously playing for Liverpool’s rivals during his career, Alonso is no stranger to English football, having spent five successful years at Anfield. Makelele believes that experience will help him adjust, but insists Chelsea present a different kind of challenge.
He said: “Chelsea fans want to see their club alive. Even without titles, even without being at the very top. In the Big Four, alive, that’s the only message. Alonso is capable of great things and I truly hope he succeeds.
“Those of us who played know how brutal this job is, and he’ll need real strength of character, because for me the hardest club to manage in London is Chelsea.
“This is the London club with the European Cups. He knows London, he speaks English. And with all respect to Liverpool, a huge and exceptional club. Chelsea is Chelsea.”
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