Jamie Carragher has urged Chelsea to sign a centre-half who Xabi Alonso can 'build his defence around' and 'hold it all together'. The Blues forked out £51million to sign Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace in the summer transfer window, and, while he's done well so far, the Liverpool legend does not believe that he's raised the ceiling at Stamford Bridge.

During an episode of the Fan Debate on The Overlap, Carragher assessed Chelsea's options at the back. The 48-year-old began by acknowledging the signing of Emi Martinez, who, before fracturing his jaw, steadied the ship.

Carragher then applauded the development of Josh Acheampong, who has not put a foot wrong this season and has established himself as a starter in the backline, before pointing out the need for a world-class defender to glue everything together.

"You brought a goalkeeper in, in the summer, Martinez. He's obviously not the same goalkeeper he was when he won the World Cup. But when I look at your defenders, and I look at the lad at right back, I think he's doing really well, Acheampong. I think he's doing really well."

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Carragher continued: "But look at the signing of Lacroix; I really liked him with Crystal Palace in a back three, and I was watching him against Tottenham and other games this season, and I was seeing him pressing man-to-man.

"He was jumping out, and he just didn't look comfortable to me or mobile enough to be in a back four and jumping out, man-to-man, jumping out to [James] Maddison.

"It just feels to me, when I look at your defenders, I think I've said this a lot, every defender's the same six out of 10, seven out of 10. You've still not got that somebody you build your defence around, or can hold it all together. It just looks very average."

In jest, he added: "I was gutted to see you lose at the weekend because I'd done a big interview with Xabi Alonso, so I thought it would get loads of views, all the Chelsea fans will be made up with this interview, and then you go and get beaten, and then the interview's been thrown back in my face!"

When Alonso sat down to speak to Carragher last week, he outlined his ambitions and the challenges Chelsea face. The Blues manager told the Sky Sports pundit: "In the medium to long-term, yes [the plan is to win the Premier League and get back into the Champions League].

"We know that takes time and many right decisions. We won't make all the right decisions, but, for me, being involved in the key decisions is as important as the rest.

"This is the ambition of the club. This club has won Champions Leagues and Premier Leagues not so long ago, and we want to be back there, but we are not stupid to think this has to come right now. Time will tell when that can come."

On whether the managerial history at Chelsea worries him, Alonso said: "No, it was not a worry because I know what you need to get results, but I had the feeling we were on the same page.

"We knew that where we want to be next year or in two years will take time, and this is the process of building things the right way, and that's why the first phase we have improved in the team has been good.

"It's just seven games, but we have a clear direction of what we want. Zero worry about this. This is football; you need to get the results. But to have the feeling we are doing things in the right way and that we have a plan is as important for me as the results."