Marcos Alonso says he felt “important” at Chelsea before leaving for FC Barcelona in the summer window.
The Lowdown: Alonso’s departure
The Spaniard swapped the English capital for Catalonia in the summer after his contract with the Blues was mutually terminated, allowing him to sign as a free transfer at the Nou Camp, where he now earns around £104k-per-week.
Alonso left Stamford Bridge after six years and 212 appearances for Chelsea where he registered 29 goals and 23 assists, mainly from defence, in a successful spell at the club which saw him win the Premier League and Champions League.
He’s so far had a mixed bag at Barcelona, starting only three of a possible nine LaLiga matches.
The Latest: Alonso’s interview
The 31-year-old recently spoke to the Spanish publication SPORT about his settling-in period and life back in Spain but was also asked about his move away from SW6.
“It was a bit stressful, but the other option was to stay at Chelsea, a team where I felt important. I’ve been there for many years and if I didn’t go out and stay there, it wouldn’t have been bad,” he said.
The Verdict: Should’ve stayed
Alonso was one of the first casualties of owner Todd Boehly’s new era in West London, as Marc Cucurella replaced him for £60m.
However, it hasn’t worked out smoothly for Cucurella who despite now linking back up with former Brighton boss Graham Potter is yet to look at home in the Blues side, averaging an underwhelming 6.60 rating from WhoScored.
The loss of the nine-time Spain international is even more paramount now Potter has had to revert away from his favoured back three formation due to injuries to Reece James and Ben Chilwell, it’s a role that Alonso thrived in over the years for the Blues, appearing 129 times there.
