Chelsea news: Teenager 'beats' Blues stars in early Xabi Alonso test

New Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso has reportedly witnessed a 17-year-old academy player beat his star players in a bleep test.

Seven-and-a-half weeks since being confirmed as the new Blues boss, Alonso commenced pre-season training with his first-team squad last week.

With Chelsea's pre-season tour of Australia and Asia not commencing until later this month, the Spaniard has time to work with his players at the club's training facilities.

He also has the benefit of the majority of the senior group having either not participated at the World Cup or were eliminated before the quarter-final stage.

Nevertheless, as per BBC Sport journalist Nizaar Kinsella, that has not prevented one of Chelsea's starlets making an early impression on Alonso.

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Reggie Walsh wins Chelsea bleep test

The report says that academy graduate Reggie Walsh was the winner when a bleep test was held in recent days.

Although Cole Palmer and Estevao Willian finished second and third respectively, they were upstaged by the teenager who has already made first-team appearances for the club.

Walsh played 90 minutes against Djurgarden in the second leg of the 2024-25 Conference League semi-final at Stamford Bridge.

He was also provided with a 24-minute outing versus Ajax in last season's Champions League, but his first-team game time dried up once Enzo Maresca left the club.

Across Under-18 Premier League, UEFA Youth League and Premier League 2 matches during 2025-26, centre-midfielder Walsh contributed 11 goals and 11 assists from 30 appearances.

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Will Walsh get chance to impress Alonso in friendlies?

With Moises Caicedo yet to start pre-season, as well as Reece James and Enzo Fernandez yet to start extended rest periods after the World Cup, Walsh is in line for plenty of minutes across Chelsea's five friendlies.

Alonso will also want to see how Romeo Lavia and Dario Essugo fare, but their previous fitness issues will lead to minimal risks being taken.