{
  "id": 2529268,
  "title": "Xabi Alonso Reveals Chelsea Captain But Hints At Uncertainty Over Vice-Captain",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/22/xabi-alonso-reveals-chelsea-captain-but-hints-at-uncertainty-over",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-22T07:25:26.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/xabi-alonso-reveals-chelsea-captain-072526685.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso has announced his plans for the upcoming 2026/27 season, naming Reece James as the club's captain. The 45-year-old, who has signed a four-year contract with the London club, stated that he works in close collaboration with his team to craft a cohesive strategy. Although Alonso has not yet confirmed the identity of Chelsea's vice-captain, he hinted at the possibility of multiple leaders within the squad. Players such as Enzo Fernández, Levi Colwill, Moisés Caicedo, and Cole Palmer could potentially assume this role, depending on Fernández's future at Chelsea. The Argentine defender has been linked with a move to Manchester City, which could impact his commitment to the London club. Alonso's comments on leadership within the team suggest that Chelsea may eschew a singular vice-captain in favor of a more distributed leadership structure.",
  "summary": "Xabi Alonso may have his Chelsea captain in mind but speculation grows at who could be the ideal candidate to take the vice-captaincy.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}