Chelsea close in on Xabi Alonso appointment

Chelsea are close to appointing Xabi Alonso as their new head coach with an announcement possible before Tuesday’s game against Tottenham, the Press Association understands.

The former Real Madrid manager has emerged in the last few days as the leading candidate to replace Liam Rosenior and though a number of other coaches have been under consideration, things have moved quickly and an agreement in principle is now in place.

The club had intended to take their time over the appointment of their next coach and no decision had been expected before the end of the season.

However, with the appointment of an elite coach of sufficient calibre and standing in the game a priority, the club have moved quickly to secure a manager that won the Champions League twice as a player as well as leading Bayer Leverkusen to an unbeaten Bundesliga-winning season in 2024.

Other names under consideration had been Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola and Fulham’s Marco Silva, with both managers out of contract at the end of the season.

Alonso has been out of work since being sacked by Real Madrid in January seven months into the job. It is understood he has received assurances from Chelsea about working conditions following his experience at the Bernabeu.

The Spaniard will become the fifth permanent appointment of the BlueCo ownership era following Graham Potter, Mauricio Pochettino, Enzo Maresca and Rosenior.

The club said following the ill-fated experiment with the former Hull and Strasbourg boss that “a period of reflection” would accompany the search for their next coach.

It is understood that entailed a recognition by the hierarchy that bringing in such an inexperienced manager had been a mistake and a different direction was required.

Defeat to Manchester City in Saturday’s FA Cup final meant Chelsea are likely to be without European football next season for the second time in the BlueCo era.