Xabi Alonso, the head coach of Chelsea, emphasized that he looks forward to seeing more passion and desire to improve from his players as he prepares for his first season in the Premier League.

This comes as Chelsea seeks to regain its glory after a difficult season, with the Spanish coach aiming to instill a fighting spirit in the team.

Chelsea finished last season in tenth place in the standings, after a disappointing campaign in which they won no titles and failed to secure a spot in European competitions.

Alonso told reporters on Monday: 'We need enthusiasm and passion, and we need the desire to improve.'

He added: 'The Premier League is highly competitive. We have to prepare ourselves, and we must be decisive in the details, and in the way we want to play. But the most important part is our style of play.'

Alonso also touched on the future of winger Alejandro Garnacho, who has been linked with a departure from Stamford Bridge as the club seeks to restructure its squad.

He said: 'There is interest from other clubs, so let's see how things develop. We hope it ends in the best possible way for all parties.'

Garnacho's level has noticeably declined after his move from Manchester United, as he scored only one goal in the Premier League in 24 appearances last season.

Alonso refused to discuss the long-term future of midfielder Enzo Fernández in detail but said he has spoken with the Argentine international and hopes to keep him at the club.

Chelsea has made only one major deal so far in the transfer market, signing right-back Marco Palestra from Serie A rivals Atalanta on a contract running until 2033.

Alonso said: 'He has many great attributes suitable for modern football. He can play in a four or five-man defense, and on the left side. We need to continue working with him to adapt to the Premier League. He has a great mentality in terms of competitiveness and ambition.'

Chelsea completed the sale of Brazilian midfielder Andrey Santos earlier on Monday.

Alonso said Chelsea's absence from European competitions next season will not significantly change his plans for the new campaign.

He added: 'Small details for sure, but the main focus on how we want to start in August doesn't change much.'

He continued: 'We are working with the sporting directors. What we need to strengthen is clear, and we are working on it.'

Alonso's appointment marks a return to English football for the Spanish coach, who played 210 matches for Liverpool before joining Real Madrid in 2009, and ended his playing career at Bayern Munich in 2017.

The Spaniard began his coaching career at Real Madrid's academy before taking charge of Real Sociedad's B team.

He spent seven months as Real Madrid coach, after a remarkable stint with Bayer Leverkusen, before leaving by mutual consent last January following a string of poor results.

At Chelsea, he takes charge of a team seeking stability after a turbulent season that saw two coaching changes, with the departures of Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior. Rosenior was sacked in April after a run that included seven defeats in eight matches across all competitions.

Alonso (44) said one of his priorities is to establish a clear identity and unite the squad before the new season.

Alonso added: 'My goal is to be part of that process, in how we want to play, how we want to approach matches. That is what I look forward to with the entire squad.'

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Chelsea are still in the process of rebuilding their squad, having made only one deal so far, the signing of full-back Marco Palestra. The coming period is expected to see more moves to strengthen the ranks, especially with the uncertainty surrounding some players like Garnacho and Fernández.