Chelsea 2026/27 Betting Preview

Chelsea finished middle of the pack last season and without any European football this time round, new head coach Xabi Alonso is the man responsible for getting them back on track.

The former Bayer Leverkusen and Real Madrid manager has been brought in to replace Liam Rosenior who was only given 23 matches between January and April. But will the former Liverpool player get more time? Nathan Joyes takes a closer look at what we can expect at Stamford Bridge this campaign.

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Team analysis

It hasn’t quite been plain sailing since BlueCo took over Chelsea in 2022. Rosenior was the latest manager to receive his P45 after a matter of months in charge and now attention has turned to Xabi Alonso to guide Chelsea back into Europe.

So, what can we expect from the Spaniard? Alonso isn’t a one formation kind of guy. He’s happy to operate with a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3, while he doesn’t mind switching to a 5-2-3 shape when out of possession.

With the amount of players at his disposal, Alonso will be spoilt for choice when it comes to how he wants to set up and who he believes will work within his chosen team best. Managing everyone and their minutes, however, will be one of his toughest tests throughout the season.

According to the bookmakers, Chelsea are expected to drastically improve under their new boss. At 8/1 to win the Premier League, only Arsenal, Man City, Liverpool and Man United are shorter. The fact there is no European distraction has perhaps been factored into the price more than anything.

That will also, once again, largely be down to Chelsea splashing the cash as well as the optimism around another promising young coach taking charge.

Alonso, however, will need to be given time for this project to take off - something Chelsea’s board aren’t exactly known for.

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Key players

Chelsea have, as per usual, been incredibly busy in the market bringing in no less than 10 new faces. Their £125 purchase of Morgan Rogers certainly caught the eye, while they’ve also spent big to bring in Atalanta’s Marco Palestra and Sporting’s Geovany Quenda.

Valentin Barco has moved across from Strasbourg, while moves for Danny Welbeck and Jordan Henderson certainly raised a few eyebrows. With a mix of youth and experience brought in, it’s a little unclear about what Chelsea’s long term vision is.

Before, there was a real focus on youth but that appears to have been abandoned slightly. Whether Alonso signed off all of these new additions remains to be known.

With so many new players in the door, exits have begun. Marc Cucurella and Andrey Santos have been moved on, and there have been plenty of reports that more will be on their way out before the transfer window shuts.

Away from the new faces, Joao Pedro will be keen to make a statement to Carlo Ancelotti after missing out on a spot at the World Cup this summer. The 24-year-old scored 14 Premier League goals last season, five more than both Enzo Fernandez and Cole Palmer who were the other two Chelsea players to finish on double digits. He will be a popular bet for the Golden Boot, for those looking to oppose Erling Haaland.

Season prediction

Chelsea have been a rollercoaster for their fans in recent years, but it is easy to see why they are heading into the 2026/27 campaign full of hope.

Xabi Alonso is one of the brightest young managers in the game, and the signings, both young and old, look good on paper. Plenty of football fans won’t agree, but Welbeck and Henderson’s experience within the dressing room could be what has been missing.

With no European football to focus on, Chelsea are in a unique position where their number one aim will be to finish in the top four and secure Champions League football. Alonso’s men are 5/6 to achieve that, and that looks entirely possible. It's my strongest bet involving Chelsea this campaign.

For those that like greater odds, Joao Pedro is 16/1 to win the Golden Boot, and while he may struggle to compete against Haaland, backing the Brazilian each-way with four places up for grabs could be a clever bet for those looking for a bigger price.

It certainly won’t be dull at Stamford Bridge this season, but they look set to be far more competitive than last campaign.