Frank Leboeuf has urged Chelsea's new head coach Xabi Alonso to replace Robert Sanchez, insisting there are still 'question marks' over the club's first-choice goalkeeper. The former Chelsea defender's comments come as Alonso prepares for his first season at Stamford Bridge after the Blues' disappointing tenth-place finish in the Premier League last term.
Alonso's summer rebuild at Chelsea
Alonso has been backed in the transfer market, with the club securing the record signing of Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa for a staggering £117 million. Additionally, Maxence Lacroix, Marco Palestra, and Valentin Barco have arrived to bolster the squad. To address the lack of experience within the young team, Chelsea have also brought in Jordan Henderson from Brentford and Danny Welbeck from Brighton.
Despite these additions, Leboeuf remains concerned about the goalkeeper position. Speaking to ESPN, he said: 'I still have a question mark over the goalkeeper. Sanchez can be very good on the line, but with his feet, he's always creating issues and scares the fans when he has the ball at his feet.'
Sanchez's inconsistent form since 2023 move
Robert Sanchez joined Chelsea from Brighton in 2023 for £25 million but has never fully convinced. Over three seasons, he has made several high-profile errors, leading to doubts about his long-term suitability as the club's number one. Leboeuf's comments add to the growing pressure on Alonso to prioritise a new goalkeeper before the transfer window closes.
Leboeuf also praised the club's recent signings, noting: 'I feel better because they finally understood the fact that they needed players with experience, with the fact that Henderson and also Danny Welbeck are coming. Lacroix is also coming and he has experience now being an international player. I think it's a good thing that those young players are surrounded by players who can show them the way, first in the dressing room, by behaving the right way, working hard in the training ground, but also knowing how to handle some hard times during the game. So I think it's a very good thing.'
Squad size concerns and potential clear-out
Beyond the goalkeeper issue, Leboeuf believes Alonso must trim his squad significantly. 'I think they have like 45 players. They have to get rid of some of them. And of course, Xabi Alonso will have to get a selection of the players and maybe get rid of 15, at least 15 players. That's insane, but it's what he has to do. Otherwise, you cannot work. You cannot be able to work properly every day, week in, week out, to make sure that you have everybody tuned in. So it's going to be hard. He's going to get rid of the players he doesn't want, because if they are here or not, they're going to create problems inside the dressing room.'
Top-five ambition for Chelsea this season
Despite the challenges, Leboeuf is optimistic about Chelsea's chances of returning to the Champions League. He expects a top-five finish to be achievable, though he identifies Arsenal as the only club he is 'pretty sure' will secure a top-five spot. 'A good season is, of course, in the Champions League fourth or fifth place spots. But for me, the only club right now where I'm going to say is pretty sure to get into the first five is Arsenal. The others have doubts everywhere. City, we don't know what's going to happen with the new coach. Liverpool, with the team, we don't really know. And the same for United. Last year, for more than half of the season, they were struggling. So nobody is assured to be in the first four, but Arsenal, I would say, right now.'
Former Scotland striker Ally McCoist has already tipped Chelsea as dark horses for the upcoming season, and Leboeuf's confidence echoes that sentiment, provided Alonso addresses the key issues in the squad.
