Chelsea outcast Marcos Alonso prepared for January exit to Atletico Madrid

Marcos Alonso looks like he has played his last game for Chelsea after being frozen out of the first-team squad ahead of the January transfer window opening on Friday.

The Spanish full-back has not played a single minute for the club since September when he was hooked off at half-time while the Blues were 3-0 down at West Bromwich Albion – a game they went on to draw 3-3 in his absence.

Despite having played the full 90 minutes in the previous two games against Brighton and Liverpool before the Baggies draw, Alonso has not been involved in a Premier League matchday squad since.

Alonso has been banished from Chelsea’s first-team squad in the Premier League since September after being taken off at half-time in a 3-3 draw at West Bromwich Albion

That includes Monday when as the Blues were held to a 1-1 draw by Aston Villa he was instead at home celebrating his 30th birthday, with Lampard instead choosing to play Ben Chilwell whose fitness had been in doubt prior to the game.

To mark the occasion, Alonso uploaded a picture onto Instagram showing him about to blow out the candles on his birthday cake.

Alonso now looks set to join Atletico Madrid on loan according to The Independent. 

Alonso celebrated his 30th birthday at home on Monday on the same day as Chelsea were being held to a 1-1 draw with Aston Villa in the Premier League

Aside from four appearances on the bench in the Champions League, Alonso has been banished from the first-team squad since the encounter at The Hawthorns which left his manager Frank Lampard furious.

It was claimed that after being subbed he tried to watch the second half from the team bus rather than with his team-mates in the stands, without the permission of the Chelsea boss.

He is understood to have taken a shower and gone to the bus after being hauled off alongside midfielder Mateo Kovacic, who took his place in the stands with the rest of the squad, before then reappearing in the stands a little while later. 

Frank Lampard (right) reportedly fell out with Alonso following the draw at West Brom

Despite Chelsea’s second half comeback, Lampard is understood to have launched a verbal tirade at Alonso in the dressing room at full-time. 

Alonso was seen as largely at fault for two of the goals, making it easier for Lampard to freeze him out of the side with Chilwell now being first choice left-back and Emerson Palmieri acting as back up.

The former Sunderland loanee has been at Stamford Bridge since signing from Fiorentina for £24million in the summer of 2016 where under manager Antonio Conte he helped the Blues lift what is to date their last Premier League title in his first season.

Alonso’s first season at Chelsea in 2016-17 saw him lift the Premier League title

He became a favourite under Antonio Conte and the now Inter Milan boss had been keen to bring the full-back to the San Siro

In addition he has lifted the FA Cup and Europa League during his time in west London, playing 152 games overall in which time he has bagged 22 goals and 17 assists.

A move to Inter Milan had been in the pipeline since his fallout with Lampard, where he could once again link up with Conte who is hoping to lead the Italian giants back to the summit of Italian football.  

Chelsea had initially shown no signs of struggles in Alonso’s absence, as they emerged as Premier League title contenders heading into December.

But they have since lost three of their last six games in all competitions, winning just once, and they now reside sixth in the league table and six points behind leaders Liverpool having also played a game more.