16 May 2026 07:54 BST |
4 min read
Xabi Alonso has been in ‘direct talks’ with Chelsea over becoming the club’s new manager, with a decision over the post expected in a matter of days.
Chelsea go into Saturday’s FA Cup final against Manchester City with youth team boss Calum McFarlane still in interim charge.
The Stamford Bridge side have not had a permanent boss since Liam Rosenior was sacked in April – the second managerial departure of the season from the West London side following Enzo Maresca’s shock exit over the festive period.
Xabi Alonso to Chelsea: Fabrizio Romano confirms ‘direct’ talks
Chelsea appear to have made former Real Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen head coach Alonso their top target for the role.
Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that the situation is heating up regarding the 44-year-old.
“Chelsea have had a direct meeting with Xabi Alonso and final decision is expected very soon,” he explained on X.
“They plan to announce their next manager before the World Cup, talks are accelerating.
“Chelsea also spoke to Andoni Iraola, Oliver Glasner and Marco Silva as part of their list.”
Liverpool struggles stall Alonso decision
Appointing Alonso would undoubtedly be a coup for Chelsea, but the former Spain midfielder appears torn between taking a job with the West London side or potentially waiting for the Liverpool role to become free.
To that end, Aston Villa’s 4-2 victory over the Reds on Friday night did the Blues few favours in terms of rushing through the Spaniard’s arrival. That result only ramps up the pressure on Reds boss Arne Slot.
So far, the Liverpool board have shown little inclination to part company with the Dutchman, but results continue to slip and the Anfield crown are increasingly turning against the manager.
If the Merseysiders were to miss out on Champions League football on the final day of the season, it could be enough to the under-fire Slot finally lose this job.
In this case, Alonso would be the clear favourite for the post, thanks to his expansive coaching style but also his history at Anfield.
Chelsea, meanwhile, have played themselves into a position where the role at Liverpool is likely more attractive. In part, this is due to the Blues’ struggles this season, which could see them miss out on European football next term, but more importantly it concerns the structure of the project, which has been broadly criticised.
Former Blues boss Ruud Gullit commented: “I’ve said so many times – I can’t figure out what the plan is. What is your plan? Now, and maybe I’m wrong, but what I see is: it looks like they get a bunch of the best young players, and the coach who comes in has to deal with what’s there. “
Chelsea’s desire may be to get this deal sorted quickly, but that likely hinges on the situation at Liverpool being resolved once and for all.
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