For several days, the name of Xabi Alonso has been persistently mentioned on the Chelsea side. It is The Athletic who lifted the veil on Monday on the current negotiations, revealing that the London club was actively exploring the Alonso track as a permanent successor to Liam Rosenior, sacked on April 23 after only four months in charge and a series of five consecutive defeats in the Premier League. Andoni Iraola, the Basque technician leaving Bournemouth, was also among the serious candidates, but it was Alonso who won the decision.
Indeed, according to information from The Athletica deal has been finalized for Xabi Alonso to become Chelsea’s new manager, with a four-year contract now completed and an announcement expected in the coming days. The 44-year-old former midfielder traveled to London early last week and accepted the job, having been the club’s top priority throughout the process.
Xabi Alonso to give Chelsea hope?
Unemployed since his dismissal by Real Madrid in January, barely seven months after signing a three-year contract from Leverkusen, the Spaniard thus finds a leading bench. His whirlwind stay at Casa Blanca had started off well. He had won 10 of his first 11 La Liga matches, including a memorable Clasico against Barça on October 24, but the machine had gradually stalled, Madrid finishing four points behind the Catalans ultimately crowned champions, and also losing to them in the final of the Spanish Super Cup. In addition to the disappointing sporting results, the relationship with certain locker room executives had particularly deteriorated over the months.
Before this episode in Madrid, Alonso had nevertheless written one of the most beautiful pages of recent German football by guiding Bayer Leverkusen to their very first Bundesliga title during a historic 2023-24 season, led from start to finish without the slightest defeat in the league. While waiting for his official takeover, Calum McFarlane is acting on the Blues bench. As a reminder, the Blues have just lost to Manchester City this Saturday in the FA Cup final, which brings the Londoners even closer to a season without Europe next season. It remains to be seen whether it is Real Madrid’s Xabi Alonso or Leverkusen’s who will settle down in London this summer…
