Quenda and Satpayev spotted at Cobham as Xabi Alonso begins Chelsea tenure

Geovany Quenda and Dastan Satpayev were photographed at Chelsea’s Cobham training ground on July 1, arriving ahead of the club’s official pre-season start date as Xabi Alonso began his first day as head coach.

Satpayev was pictured alongside FC Kairat owner Kairat Boranbayev and Chelsea sporting director Joe Shields, and was also filmed in the gym performing squats, with Quenda visible in the background. Pre-season does not formally begin for another nine days, but both players are at Cobham on the back of pre-agreed deals.

Quenda, 19, sealed his move from Sporting CP in March 2024 as part of a deal that also brought Dario Essugo to Stamford Bridge, but remained in Portugal for the 2025/26 season. Despite missing four months with a broken metatarsal, he contributed six goals and nine assists across 32 appearances in all competitions. The winger excelled at wing-back under Sporting’s system — a role that aligns naturally with Alonso’s preferred three-man defensive setup, though Quenda has also been deployed further forward and on either flank.

Satpayev joins from Kazakh side FC Kairat, while Strasbourg pair Emmanuel Emegha and Valentin Barco are among the other pre-agreed signings expected to arrive ahead of next season. Right wing-back Marco Palestra has also been brought in from Atalanta, further suggesting Alonso may revert to his favoured system.

Chelsea are additionally expected to sign Pep Chavarria from Rayo Vallecano following the sale of Marc Cucurella to Real Madrid. Enzo Fernandez has also been linked with a move to the Bernabéu, while Malo Gusto could follow Cucurella out of west London — former Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca, now at Manchester City, is reportedly keen on the right-back. However, a reported £75 million asking price is expected to deter potential suitors.

With the World Cup currently under way, the futures of several Chelsea players — including Gusto with France and Fernandez with Argentina — are unlikely to be resolved until mid-July.