Gittens keen to impress ‘world-class’ Alonso

Chelsea winger Jamie Gittens says he will be involved in Xabi Alonso’s squad next season and describes his new manager as “one of the best to do it”. The 21-year-old joined the Blues from Borussia Dortmund in a £52m deal last summer but struggled to make a major impact in his first season at Stamford Bridge. Asked whether he had been told he was part of Alonso’s plans, Gittens initially replied: “Yeah.” He continued: “He just wants me to keep being positive, to keep taking on players, to keep creating chances and to keep pushing myself to the maximum.” Gittens added that the squad respect Alonso because he was a “world-class midfielder” during his playing career with Real Madrid and Liverpool, among others. He also said that when he faced Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen side while playing in Germany, it was “really hard”. Leverkusen won the Bundesliga title and German Cup in Alonso’s first full season in charge. Gittens added: “They were really a team.” Team cohesion was something Chelsea lacked last season as they finished 10th in the Premier League, failed to qualify for European football and ended the campaign without a trophy. However, he is confident that signings like £117m British transfer record Morgan Rogers, who he played with in Manchester City’s academy, “will raise the bar” and that Chelsea retain an ambition to “win everything”. Gittens is also back on track having scored in Alonso’s first two matches behind closed doors against EFL clubs Crawley and Bromley, having suffered a hamstring injury in January and missing the back end of last season. He insists he is “90% fit” after a holiday training camp in Portugal and Spain. However, he admitted: “It has been hard because this was the first muscle injury I’ve had. I’m feeling much better, the hamstrings are good. “I want to succeed here. I need to show people what I can do. I’ve shown small glimpses, I would say, but this season will be a good season.”