Chelsea's young star reveals the special 'aura' of coach Xabi Alonso

Jamie Gittens is convinced that the charisma and training methods of Xabi Alonso can create a significant impetus, allowing Chelsea to reignite their aspirations of challenging for top titles.

Jamie Gittens enters the new season with a feeling of being almost "reset." After his first season at Stamford Bridge disrupted by a hamstring injury, the 21-year-old winger wants to prove his worth and is particularly impressed with new coach Xabi Alonso.

Gittens shared: "I feel much better and more confident. My physical condition has improved, my hamstring is no longer an issue, so I'm just waiting for the season to start." He maintained daily training during his holiday in Portugal and Marbella to regain the best physical foundation.

Last season, Gittens made 27 appearances but only 12 starts. An injury at the end of January interrupted his adaptation process, although he had scored and assisted twice in the 4-3 win over Wolverhampton in the League Cup. Chelsea also confirmed that the English player faced additional setbacks during his recovery in April.

What excites Gittens the most is how Alonso quickly made an impact in the dressing room. He said: "He is a very great person. He talks individually with each player, discussing what we can improve. For a player, that's everything you could wish for."

When asked whether Alonso possesses a special 'aura', Gittens admitted: "Yes, a bit, because he was a top player and now is also a top coach."

He also highly rates the professional foundation of the Spanish manager: "He played for Real Madrid and Liverpool, was a world-class midfielder. Perhaps he is one of the best to ever do it."

Gittens once faced Alonso's Bayer Leverkusen while playing for Borussia Dortmund. That experience helped him better understand the tactical strength of the new coach. "They were a very tough opponent. They operated with a back three, with Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, Piero Hincapie, and Granit Xhaka. They were truly a collective."

The ability to turn outstanding individuals into a unified unit could be Alonso's biggest challenge. Chelsea just finished the 2025/26 Premier League in 10th place, then appointed him on a four-year contract and signed Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa until 2033.

Morgan Rogers will be the core in Coach Xabi Alonso's system Gittens does not see Rogers merely as a competitor for position. He emphasized:

"We want to win everything. That's the ambition of the whole team: to win the Premier League, FA Cup, and any competition we enter. Bringing in a player like Morgan hopefully will raise the standard for us to compete for titles." That confidence does not mean Chelsea will definitely return to the title race. But with a schedule without European competition, a coach with winning mentality