Chelsea’s weekend appointment of Xabi Alonso has pushed Kylian Mbappe back into the centre of the summer transfer conversation, with the 27-year-old now described as a possible departure from Real Madrid after a trophy-less season.
Mbappe, speaking after Real Madrid’s win over Oviedo, said he had maintained a strong relationship with Alonso during the Spaniard’s spell in charge at the Bernabeu. “We had a structure in our game and we lost it - that hurts a lot,” he said, before adding: “I had a great relationship with Xabi Alonso. He is going to become a great coach, but that is now in the past. We have to look forward.”
Chelsea confirmed Alonso as their new manager for the 2026/27 season over the weekend, handing him a four-year deal as the club continues to reshape its long-term plans. The timing matters because Mbappe is being framed as a player who could move on this summer, and Chelsea are among the clubs that could be interested if that possibility turns into a real market.
That is where the story sharpens for Todd Boehly’s club. Chelsea need attacking reinforcements and are already expected to offload Nicolas Jackson after his loan spell with Bayern Munich. Joao Pedro has made the No. 9 role his own, Liam Delap has struggled, and the club is still looking for a more reliable edge in front of goal.
Mbappe’s situation is not simple, though. Real Madrid finished this season without a trophy, and his own campaign at the Santiago Bernabeu has been described as turbulent. He produced 15 goals and eight assists in 34 top-flight appearances, but that output has not stopped speculation about what comes next, especially with the French forward now being linked with a possible summer move.
Arsenal, too, sit on the edge of the conversation because the club came close to signing Mbappe in 2016 and again in 2017 when Arsene Wenger was still in charge. Mbappe later said Arsenal had been in contact before he chose Paris Saint-Germain when leaving AS Monaco, adding: “Wenger is a French football monument. A little while ago, before I signed for PSG, we were in contact in 2017. I chose a different direction but he wasn’t annoyed at me.” He said Wenger “was a gentleman about it and wished me good luck.”
That history matters because it shows how long the chase has lasted. Chelsea now have Alonso on a four-year contract, Arsenal have a past link, and Mbappe is again at the point where a summer move cannot be ruled out. The next move will be driven by whether any club is willing to turn admiration into a serious bid.
