Xabi Alonso ‘seeking assurances’ from Chelsea about head coaching role — reports

TL;DR

Xabi Alonso is reportedly the leading candidate for the Chelsea head coaching position but is seeking assurances about the role before accepting. His previous experience at Real Madrid has left him cautious, particularly regarding transfer decisions.

Key points

Xabi Alonso is the frontrunner for the Chelsea head coaching role.
He seeks assurances about the role and transfer decisions.
Alonso's previous experience at Real Madrid was challenging.

Mentioned in this story

Xabi AlonsoChelseaReal MadridBayer Leverkusen

FA CupWorld Cup

Madrid, Spain - September 16: head coach Xabi Alonso of Real Madrid C.F. looks on during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD1 match between Real Madrid C.F. and Olympique de Marseille at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on September 16, 2025 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Manu Reino/DeFodi Images/DeFodi via Getty Images) | DeFodi Images via Getty Images Xabi Alonso has emerged as the clear frontrunner for the Chelsea job this week, but though we are said to be making “positive progress” in talks with the former Bayer Leverkusen and Real Madrid coach, he’s said to be “seeking assurances about the role before agreeing” to join us. The Times’ report doesn’t exactly spell out what these “assurances” are, but the insinuation is that he’s seeking a better experience than the one he walked into at Real Madrid last year, which left him “bruised”. Alonso was sacked just seven months into the job, which even by Chelsea standards would be pretty fast. Then again, Graham Potter and Liam Rosenior lasted just six and three-and-a-half months, respectively, so BlueCo might have serious convincing to do to assure Alonso’s need for assurances. The other obvious area where assurances might need to be given is around transfers. To that effect, report that even though Chelsea are “not about to change” our recruitment structure, “there is a recognition that someone of Alonso’s stature must be listened to when it comes to signings” and that we would not “impose players on him”. Guess I’ll believe that when I see that, but maybe Alonso’s more gullible. Let’s hope he’s more gullible. The Guardian’s report adds that the squad believe that Alonso is “the ideal candidate” to get the team “back on track” as he’d be able to “command the respect of the dressing room and keep strong egos in line”. Alonso couldn’t quite manage that at Real, it should be noted, though he’s said to have been “keen to learn the lessons from his time at Madrid”. With Alonso the frontrunner for us, are jumping on the bandwagon while are trying to navigate their Marco Silva situation (and are potentially looking at ). One thing that all reports agree on is that Chelsea want to move fairly quickly on this issue after this weekend’s FA Cup and want to have the new man in place before the start of the World Cup. Ideally, we make the right call (or the best call we can make), not just the quick call.

Q&A

What assurances is Xabi Alonso seeking from Chelsea regarding the head coaching role?

Xabi Alonso is looking for assurances related to his experience at Real Madrid and the club's approach to player transfers before agreeing to take the Chelsea job.

Why did Xabi Alonso leave Real Madrid after only seven months?

Xabi Alonso was sacked from Real Madrid after seven months, which was a challenging experience that he aims to avoid repeating at Chelsea.

What is Chelsea's timeline for appointing a new head coach?

Chelsea aims to appoint a new head coach before the start of the World Cup, ideally after the upcoming FA Cup weekend.