Marcos Alonso makes Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona admission as Spaniard eyes new Chelsea deal

Mikel Arteta On Emile Smith Rowe Patience & New Role Prediction

Mikel Arteta On Top Four Chances After Beating Brentford

Mikel Arteta Looking For Even More Improvement In Battle For Top Four

Tuchel admits to protecting Lukaku by benching him against Lille

Crystal Palace 0-1 Chelsea: Match in Pictures

Hidden Benefit Alexander Isak Could Have On Arsenal Attack

Tuchel delighted with Kanté performance against Lille

Antonio Conte says he would ask Harry Kane to play on one leg

Chelsea 2-0 Lille: Match in Pictures

Chelsea left-back Marcos Alonso has admitted that Lionel Messi was one of the hardest players he has had to defend against whilst also making a Diego Maradona comparison amid new deal murmurs.

Alonso, 31, has his current deal at Stamford Bridge running to the summer of 2023 meaning the Blues hierarchy only have two transfer windows remaining to potentially cash in on the Spaniard if he was to be let go.

Atletico Madrid and Diego Simeone are reportedly very keen on signing the former Fiorentina man and it all seemed like this plan was going to be followed if Frank Lampard would have remained the Chelsea manager this season.

However, poor run at the start of 2021 offered Thomas Tuchel the chance to steady what was a turbulent ship at the time and he certainly hasn't looked back since.

Antonio Rudiger and Alonso who were facing peri less situations in early 2021 also haven't looked back since and the 31-year-old's 25 appearances in all competitions this season have come at an important time, especially considering the fact that Ben Chilwell has been missing for many months now.

The expectation around the club and media is the fact that the Antonio Conte signing may be moved on in the near future to make way for fresh