Alonso makes early Chelsea visit with his staff

New manager Xabi Alonso visited Chelsea's training ground earlier this week with his coaching staff to familiarise himself with the club's set-up.

Alonso, 44, will formally join Chelsea on 1 July but visited the base in Cobham to better understand the environment so he can hit the ground running when he begins his role.

He was joined by his coaching staff - Sebastian Parrilla, Alberto Encinas, Benat Labaien and Ismael Camenforte Lopez - to meet various departments at the club, assess what is already in place and decide whether any adjustments are needed before his arrival.

It is already known, for example, that Alonso and his staff will work alongside former interim head coach Calum McFarlane, goalkeeping coach Ben Roberts and set-piece coach Bernardo Cueva next season. There are also established structures in place around data, medical and performance at the training ground.

It has been stressed that his visit was not related to transfer strategy.

Alonso, who has been appointed as a manager rather than a head coach, remains in regular dialogue with the club's hierarchy over potential incomings and outgoings, although this does not require him to be on site.

Alonso's formal unveiling is expected in the following weeks. Pre-season will begin in a staggered manner because of the World Cup, while a tour of Australia and Asia starts on 25 July in Sydney and ends with a match in Malaysia on 11 August.