Chelsea are exploring a deal to appoint Xabi Alonso as the club’s new head coach.
The Spaniard is open to the possibility, but at this stage nothing is decided as the process to hire a permanent successor to Liam Rosenior continues, with outgoing Bournemouth head coach Andoni Iraola also a strong contender.
Alonso, 44, has been out of management since being sacked by Real Madrid on January 12 and replaced by the club’s reserve team coach, Alvaro Arbeloa.
Alonso was just seven months into the three-year deal he signed when he succeeded Carlo Ancelotti in the summer, and joined the Spanish club having guided Bayer Leverkusen to their first Bundesliga title in 2023-24.
Chelsea parted company with Rosenior on April 23 after less than four months in charge, having been appointed following Enzo Maresca’s departure in January. Calum McFarlane was placed in interim charge until the end of the season.
The Athletic reported this month that names on the club’s new head coach shortlist included Alonso, Iraola, and Fulham’s Marco Silva.
Madrid won 10 of Alonso’s first 11 La Liga matches at the helm, including the October 24 Clasico against Barcelona. However, they were in second place, four points behind Barca at the time of his sacking, as well as having just lost the Supercopa de España final to Hansi Flick’s side.
Alonso joined Madrid after 18 months in charge of Bayer Leverkusen, during which he guided the Bundesliga club to their first title in 2023-24 with an unbeaten domestic season. They also reached the Europa League final, losing to Atalanta.
The former midfielder spent five years at Madrid as a player between 2009 and 2014, winning five trophies, including one Champions League title, having joined the club from Liverpool. Alonso had a five-year spell in the Premier League with Liverpool and was part of the side that won the Champions League in 2007.
Iraola, meanwhile, confirmed in April that he will leave Bournemouth when his contract expires at the end of this season. He joined the club from Rayo Vallecano to replace Gary O’Neil in June 2023 and has won admirers for the Vitality Stadium club’s attacking and entertaining style of play.
