Alonso tells Chelsea to look ahead after Fernandez's sale

Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso wants everyone at Stamford Bridge to now "move forward" after the long sale of Enzo Fernandez to Manchester City.

The Argentina midfielder left Chelsea to join City in a British record-equalling £125 million ($169 million) deal before the transfer window closed on Tuesday.

Chelsea planned to bring in midfielder Lamine Camara from Monaco to replace Fernandez, but that deal fell through when Monaco did not submit a deal sheet before the deadline.

Alonso is looking ahead, starting with Sunday’s match against Premier League champions Arsenal. Chelsea aims to keep their perfect start to the new season.

"We take all the decisions together," Alonso said at a press conference on Friday. "We are responsible for them with our work together, the big ones, small ones.

"We knew ultimately the last goal is to have the best for the team, for the squad, for daily work here. We want to build a good spirit and a good team, and we have always taken the decisions thinking that we wanted to reach that."

Alonso added, "In football, many things happen, and you need to be prepared for everything.

"With Enzo, we have had conversations, but always with respect as well. What he has done for the club has been great, and we are thankful, but now it is time to move forward. We have many big personalities, players with a lot of quality in all the different positions, and now we are ready to go."

Alonso did not provide more details about the failed deal for Camara.

"I think that we are prepared and happy with the squad, the depth, with the healthy competition we have in different positions," he said. "It is a good balance between players of different stages of their career.

"We need to build that energy during the week to perform well at the weekends. So far, it is just two games, but it has been a good start, and now we know who is in the building and that is good to have that certainty."

Chelsea’s squad has changed a lot over the summer.

"We can be very happy with the whole transfer window," said Alonso, who will check on midfielder Moises Caicedo. Caicedo left the match against Brighton in the closing stages.

"What we started talking about in late May-early June, many things we have accomplished."