After helping England to a third-place finish at this summer's World Cup, Rogers completed a move to Stamford Bridge from Aston Villa. Yet it wasn't until 11 August, after a deserved holiday, that he began training with his new team-mates.

A pre-season outing against Real Sociedad, in which he scored, was Rogers' only game time before our Premier League campaign got underway. Yet there was no indication of the 24-year-old being undercooked on his debut at Craven Cottage.

Rogers opened his account for the Blues with a well-taken, first-half strike as we went on to win 3-2 at our west London neighbours Fulham. The following weekend against Brighton and Hove Albion at Stamford Bridge, he produced an excellent assist for Pedro Neto to score.

Rogers will look to maintain his strong start at Chelsea on Sunday when we make the short trip across London to take on Arsenal. And ahead of that fixture, Alonso was asked whether Rogers' instantaneous impact had surprised him.

He replied: 'Probably yes, because it’s been just three weeks since he started playing for Chelsea, started training with us and getting his fitness level, but he has had a very good impact.

'I hoped he would have a straight impact on the team and that he would get along with his team-mates so well, because he knew many of them. That’s why he was such an important target and a goal for us to get him, and once we got him in the building, he fulfilled our expectations.'

Rogers' signing was one of many the Blues made this summer, with the squad reshaped following Alonso's appointment as manager ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.

Quality and experience – in different forms – were added to the group, yet Alonso says that the skillset that Rogers provides made him an important addition.

'He was the number one target for us,' the Spaniard said. 'Talking about squad planning, taking big decisions, for sure, Morgan was a big one as we get a player of his stature in the present and for the future.

'He will be a key player for the next six, seven years. Right now, he has had a great impact and his chemistry with the whole team is great, and the chemistry with his strike partners is fantastic.

'That's happening in such a short time. It gives us a lot of hope for the future – and he looks really happy as well, which is important.'