It was during the Club World Cup that Marcos Alonso sat down with a group of journalists and discussed what may come next for him at Chelsea.
"I've always had interest from other clubs but I am happy to be here to achieve these kinds of trophies," the Spaniard said during a rather candid interview. "For me, I still have another year-and-a-half on my contract. It’s a question [what happens next] where maybe I don’t know the answer.
"It doesn’t just depend on what I want. But as I said before, I will always try to give 100% and always focus on the next game. I am very happy here so why not [stay and sign a new contract]."
Signed in the summer of 2016 from Fiorentina, Alonso has claimed the Premier League, Champions League, Europa League, UEFA Super Cup, FA Cup, and the Club World Cup during his time with Chelsea. If the Blues lift the Carabao Cup later this month, the 31-year-old would have won it all.
That is a feat only Cesar Azpilicueta has achieved with Chelsea. And should Alonso match it, it would be testament to his ability but also his longevity. More than once has he appeared on his way out of Stamford Bridge.
It was only last season that Alonso was sidelined by Frank Lampard. The Spain international spent three months out of the side and on the fringes of the squad after an incident during a 3-3 with West Bromwich Albion at the Hawthorns.
After being at fault for two of the Baggies' goals that day, Alonso was brought off at half time. What happened next isn't exactly clear but the wing-back put forward his version of events while in Abu Dhabi.
"I watched the game upstairs and with five minutes to go the West Brom security told me I cannot be here so I went downstairs to the changing room," he said. "Then when the referee blew the [full-time] whistle I went to the coach before the team got back.
"It was not with any bad intention that I wanted to leave but I had a shower at half-time, I had a shower upstairs and then I just went. I was not happy, of course, with how the game went and everything but it was not any intention to do that.
"I spoke to my teammates straight after. If someone felt offended or something, everyone was OK. You [the media] created the story, but it was nothing like this."
Thomas Tuchel's appointment saw Alonso return to the first-team fold, although for much of the German's tenure, he has been behind Ben Chilwell at left wing-back.
However, the unfortunate knee ligament injury sustained by the England international in November thrust Alonso back into the side and he started 11 consecutive Premier League matches.
It's easy to forget Alonso began the campaign ahead of Chilwell and his early-season performances ensured he maintained his place in the side. So it's wrong to simply claim the Spaniard isn't of the calibre to produce for Chelsea.
His form over the past two months in the absence of Chilwell has simply not been good enough, though. He has been off the pace and defensively suspect.
Tuchel's decision to move to a back four in January and start Malang Sarr at left-back hasn't sparked Alonso back into life. That much was highlighted against Al Hilal at the Club World Cup.
Alonso was a cumbersome presence during the semi-final. He didn't offer his usual threat in the final third while his defensive shortcomings were exposed on more than one occasion.
Yet with Tuchel intent on playing his preferred 3-4-2-1 shape for the final against Palmeiras, Alonso seemed destined to start once more. That was until the teams were announced: the Spaniard was replaced in the side by Callum Hudson-Odoi, who went on to claim the assist for Romelu Lukaku's opener.
The call by Tuchel and his coaching staff to start Hudson-Odoi – a 21-year-old winger – ahead of Alonso felt significant, and it was justified given the Spaniard's semi-final display.
Where that leaves Alonso in the pecking order is the big question, and it's one that will only be answered in the weeks ahead. It would be wrong to write off the 31-year-old – as history has proved – but perhaps his time at Chelsea is coming to an end once and for all.
