New Chelsea signing Morgan Rogers said that Xabi Alonso "could probably still play in the Premier League" due to his ability to pass a ball in training.
Rogers made the move to Stamford Bridge from Aston Villa in a British record transfer fee of £117 million ($159.5m) this summer and said that Alonso's presence as Chelsea manager was a key reason for his move.
The Spaniard was appointed as Chelsea manager following a dismal campaign from the Blues last season under a combination of Enzo Maresca, Liam Rosenior and Callum MacFarlane, finishing 10th in the Premier League.
Alonso was appointed manager of Real Madrid last summer but was sacked in January and replaced by now-Fulham manager Alvaro Arbeloa.
Now taking training sessions in Cobham, Rogers insists Alonso could still play a major role in the Premier League.
He told ESPN Brazil: "He's still got it now. There are certain sessions where he'll ping a ball and you'll be like... He could probably still play in the Prem now.
"He's got bags of ability, bags of quality.
"I think that helps you as a manager as well, the respect element of it.
"He's played the game, he's played in these moments in the big games, in the pressure situations, won what he's won as a player.
"You have that utmost respect for him as a coach and as a manager that he's been in those situations and he knows how to manage them and handle them.
"I have massive respect for him as a player and obviously as my manager and my coach."
Rogers was not just impressed by Alonso's abilities to still roll back the years on the pitch, he believes that he can also get the best out of him at Stamford Bridge this summer.
"As an attacking player, he allows freedom and he allows rotations and allows to play off the cuff and to be me, which is the way I want to play and the way I see the game," Rogers added.
"Some things you can't explain what you've seen in a game or how you've been, but if you've been given that confidence from the manager to play or to try and to do those things, I think that's where I can be at my best.
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"That was the conversations I had with him where I was really excited by and really looked forward to and really saw myself being able to play in his team, which is the most important thing for me.
"I'm just, as I said, excited and can't wait to see how it unfolds and how I can be the best version of myself."