21 May 2026 07:40 BST |
5 min read
Xabi Alonso has been fired a sharp reminder of the type of atmosphere he is walking into at Chelsea as his new bosses at BlueCo prepare for yet another sacking.
Alonso, who will start his role as Chelsea manager on 1 July, has agreed a four-year contract with the Stamford Bridge club.
But whether he sees out that deal is more doubtful, with owners BlueCo having earned a reputation as a group with a high turnover of staff, as evidenced by the fact that Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior were both dispensed with as permanent managers at Chelsea this season.
Just four days after Alonso’s arrival in West London was announced, the threat of sister club Strasbourg sacking Gary O’Neil, who replaced Rosenior at the Ligue 1 club, is gathering pace.
Ligue 1 insider Mohamed Toubach-Ter has reported on X that the Englishman’s position at Racing is “fragile” and that the highly rated Filipe Luis, who recently left Flamengo and spent one season as a player at Chelsea, is targeted for the role.
Such a move would be a stark reminder for Alonso of the volatile environment he is coming into.
O’Neil confirmation after BlueCo criticism
O’Neil is widely regarded as having done a solid job at Strasbourg since replacing Rosenior, though the end of the season left a sense of disappointment as the team’s form tailed off alarmingly.
The former Wolves boss has been outspoken in his criticism of BlueCo’s transfer policy.
“The owners want to give me the resources to succeed next season, but we need to improve the culture within the club, the quality of the players, and the squad. We failed in the January transfer window. We weakened the team instead of strengthening it,” the Englishman said in comments relaying L’Equipe.
These comments have been widely perceived as weakening O’Neil’s position at Strasbourg, but in the local press, there is more optimism that he will remain in place next season.
Alsa’Sports has denied the rumours that Filipe Luis could replace him, stating that his “continuity is confirmed” for next term. It states:
“Gary O’Neil quickly showed he could move this group forward. His communication was often appreciated, his commitment was never questioned, and his results in the second half of the season lend credibility to the project.”
Why this matters to Alonso and Chelsea
BlueCo is seeking to move away from its trigger-happy reputation with managers, as confirmed by co-owner Behdad Eghbali.
Speaking in reference to the Chelsea situation in April, he commented: “Getting that stability on the manager side is one of the things we haven’t done right yet, and it’s something we’re striving to improve on.”
Sacking O’Neil at Strasbourg after recording the fifth-best record in Ligue 1 during the second half of the season would send the opposite message.
A matter of days after Eghbali’s words, Rosenior was sacked after a series of poor results, though there is a sense that in Alonso, Chelsea have found a man who can take their project forward in the years ahead.
Crucially, BlueCo has provided the Spaniard with additional responsibilities on the recruitment front and has shown a willingness to change its transfer policy to allow the Premier League side to sign more experienced players as opposed to focusing on youngsters in the transfer market.
Alonso is armed with a four-year contract, and while that might not have meant much to previous Chelsea bosses under BlueCo, it finally appears they have found a man they want to give an extended chance to.
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