12 May 2026 17:55 BST |
6 min read
Chelsea are once again searching for a new permanent head coach and Xabi Alonso has emerged as one of the frontrunners for the job after his Real Madrid exit earlier this year.
Initial reports suggested that Alonso was unlikely to move to Stamford Bridge this summer, but with Arne Slot expected to remain at Liverpool next season and Michael Carrick set to be appointed permanently by Manchester United, there are very few top jobs available to the Spaniard.
As a result, he has opened the door to Chelsea and the Blues are now exploring a move, as confirmed by renowned transfer reporter David Ornstein.
Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola is also regarded as a strong candidate for the role, with Fulham manager Marco Silva believed to be on Chelsea’s shortlist too, but Alonso appears to be the club’s preferred contender as things stand. And it’s no surprise.
Alonso’s short spell at Real Madrid may have been slightly underwhelming, but he won 24 of his 34 matches in charge before his exit in January and the reason for his departure certainly wasn’t due to results.
Instead, it’s understood that Real Madrid’s attacking superstars simply didn’t like his management – largely due to the fact they were forced to listen to more in-depth tactical instructions than under Carlo Ancelotti, and they were asked to defend.
While there are certainly issues in the Chelsea dressing room, Alonso wouldn’t encounter such a problem in west London, with the Blues squad simply in need of direction from a seasoned professional they will respect unanimously – unlike Liam Rosenior.
Expert opinion: Xabi Alonso is the right man for Chelsea
Alonso is one of the best young coaches in world football, but he is far from inexperienced, thanks to his managerial career to date and the fact he racked up 700 senior games as a player – most of which were at the highest level in European football. This wouldn’t be his first rodeo, and that’s crucial.
He won 14 trophies across spells at Liverpool, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich as a player, in addition to the World Cup and two European Championships with Spain, and he has continued that trajectory since moving to the dugout.
When asked about the prospect of Chelsea appointing Alonso, Bundesliga expert Ronan Murphy told FootballTransfers: “He’ll have the respect of the dressing room and won’t have the same egos to deal with. Plus, he should be battle-hardened from the Real Madrid experience.
“It might provide some humility but also resilience. He’ll be better able to deal with the tough times and media pressure. And if you look at where Leverkusen were when he arrived and where he brought them to, he has shown that he is able to get players playing to or above their levels.
“Leverkusen were hugely underperforming when he arrived and the same can be said for Chelsea. You know the raw talent is there with a lot of the players, so they need the right coach to bring that out on the pitch. But it could take time and Chelsea would need to be patient.”
Bayer Leverkusen were 17th in the Bundesliga table when Alonso took over in October 2022 and by the end of the season, they had qualified for the Europa League via a sixth-place finish.
The following season, he guided them to their first ever German top flight title without losing a single league game, while Leverkusen also won the DFB-Pokal and finished runners-up to Atalanta in the Europa League.
Xabi Alonso. 🖤❤️ pic.twitter.com/8HHFLUTKQS
— Bayer 04 Leverkusen (@bayer04_en) May 11, 2025
Alonso is versatile too. While he favoured a hugely successful 3-4-3 system at Leverkusen, he reverted to a back four at Real Madrid with little difficulty. At Chelsea, he would have the players at his disposal to flexibly mix between formations, adding an extra dimension to the Blues’ repertoire as a squad.
Across his senior managerial career, which spans 174 matches, Alonso has a hugely impressive 65% win rate and as one of the best midfielders in world football during his playing career, he is well aware of how a big club like Chelsea should operate.
Chelsea have slipped to ninth place in the Premier League after six losses and one draw in their last seven matches in the competition and although they could still secure European football this season, it’s been a dismal campaign, especially considering the money they have spent on new signings in recent years.
As a result, the club simply must get this managerial appointment right and Alonso is the ideal candidate on the market. He has the tactical acumen to compete with the best in the world, he has proven pedigree as a manager and, in part thanks to his stellar playing career, he will command the respect of the Chelsea dressing room.
Chelsea have aspirations of regularly winning titles and Alonso is the perfect man to guide them to such success.
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