Chelsea’s 2026/27 Premier League season has begun with just as many highs as lows.
The West London club’s goalscoring issues from recent seasons are long gone and have been replaced with a free-scoring style of play. However, defensive issues have persisted and have arguably worsened.
In five Premier League fixtures, Chelsea have scored 10 goals but have conceded more – 12. In two Carabao Cup games, they have scored eight and conceded three.
The Chelsea signings from the 2026 summer window have played a big role in where the club stand at the moment.
Morgan Rogers has quickly become one of Xabi Alonso’s most important players, while Maxence Lacroix has established himself in the new manager’s preferred back three and Emiliano Martinez has also taken over as Chelsea’s first-choice goalkeeper.
However, with several other new arrivals still adapting to life at Stamford Bridge, it is too early to know exactly how much of an impact all of the Chelsea signings will have on the season.
The Impact of the 2026/27 Chelsea Signings
The early weeks of the season have already provided a good indication of where the summer additions have helped Chelsea and where there are still problems to solve.
The biggest difference has come in attack, while the midfield and defence remain more complicated areas for Alonso to address.
A Strengthened Attacking Line
The biggest highlight of Chelsea’s season so far is their improved attack.
Their front three includes arguably the best of the Chelsea signings, Morgan Rogers, who joined from Aston Villa for a British-record £117m transfer fee.
The England international has quickly settled into Alonso’s side and has featured regularly on the left side of the attack. Rogers has scored three goals and provided four assists across Chelsea’s opening fixtures, while his creativity has also made him one of the team’s most important attacking players.
He has combined well with Cole Palmer and Joao Pedro upfront, with the trio helping Chelsea move away from the attacking problems that affected the club during recent seasons.
The Chelsea signings have also given Alonso more options beyond his preferred front three.
Danny Welbeck joined from Brighton and has already been given opportunities, while Geovany Quenda provides another younger option in the squad. Quenda officially completed his move from Sporting this summer after the transfer was originally agreed in 2025.
Chelsea have therefore added more depth to an attack that already contains Palmer, Pedro, Jamie Gittens and Estevao.
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Midfield Woes and Highs
Midfield is a more difficult area to judge when looking at the Chelsea signings.
One of the main talking points has been the lack of another major central midfield addition, particularly with Chelsea continuing to manage injuries and fitness issues in that position – and after selling Enzo Fernández to Manchester City for £125m on deadline day.
Jordan Henderson arrived from Brentford to provide experience, while Valentin Barco offers versatility after joining from Strasbourg. Neither player was brought in as a direct long-term replacement for Fernandez, though the Argentina international’s departure has left a clear gap.
Henderson made his Premier League debut for Chelsea against his former club Brentford, while Barco was also handed his first league start in the same game.
The midfield has therefore not been as straightforward as the attack.
Romeo Lavia has played an important role in the early weeks of the season, while Moises Caicedo’s fitness has also affected Alonso’s options.
With Chelsea scoring goals at one end but conceding too many at the other, the midfield will have to provide more balance between attack and defence as the season continues.
Defensive Frailties
Defence is arguably the biggest concern for Chelsea at this stage of the season.
Maxence Lacroix looks like one of the more promising Chelsea signings so far. The Frenchman arrived from Crystal Palace and has quickly established himself in the middle of Alonso’s back three.
He started alongside Levi Colwill and Wesley Fofana in Chelsea’s opening Premier League fixture and has continued to feature heavily since then. Lacroix’s experience of playing in a back three should also help him adapt to Alonso’s system.
However, Chelsea have still struggled defensively despite the arrival of the France international. The Blues conceded 12 goals in their first five Premier League matches, including three in the defeat to Brentford.
Fofana has looked less comfortable in the back three at times, while the team as a whole has struggled to maintain the defensive structure that Alonso will want.
The Chelsea signings have also changed the options at wing-back.
Pep Chavarria arrived from Rayo Vallecano, while Marco Palestra can also play in wider defensive areas. Both were handed starts against Brentford alongside Henderson and Barco.
In goal, Emiliano Martínez has replaced Robert Sanchez as Chelsea’s first-choice goalkeeper. The Argentina international arrived from Aston Villa after establishing himself as one of the most experienced goalkeepers in the Premier League. Sánchez has since moved to Como on loan.
His arrival gives Alonso another experienced option between the posts, although he cannot be expected to solve Chelsea’s defensive problems on his own. Martínez has already made important saves, but the defence in front of him has not always made life easy.
For now, Lacroix looks like one of the more settled Chelsea signings, while Alonso still has work to do with the rest of his defensive options.
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Extra Time Notes
There is still a long way to go in Chelsea’s 2026/27 campaign, meaning it would be too early to make any final judgement on the summer arrivals.
The Chelsea signings have already made a noticeable difference in some areas, particularly with Rogers becoming an important attacking player and Lacroix settling into the back three.
However, the opening weeks have also shown that Chelsea still have problems that cannot simply be solved by bringing in new players.
The Blues are scoring goals at a much better rate than they were in previous seasons, but conceding 12 times in five Premier League games is a major concern. Alonso will therefore need his new signings to continue adapting while also getting more from the players who were already at Stamford Bridge.
The Chelsea signings may have changed the squad, but the next few months will show whether they have changed Chelsea enough.
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