Carrick, Hargreaves Scholes Nani Anderson Giggs have all shared the games between them games throw in a few games for Fletcher and hey you have major rotation. So maybe signing Barry doesn't mean the end of Alonso maybe Rafa might copy Ferguson and Rotate
Just using better quality players.
In fact both Chelsea and United their core of players haven't played that many games Lampard, Drogba, Terry, Carhavlho and some of the manc players named, rotation it works.
Although Alonso isn't a shouter or screamer you get the feeling he's one of the players in the squad who has the respect of everyone and is a link between the foreign lads and the rest of the team, comes across as as a bright lad, be a big miss if he left and not just for his playing skills.