An agreement has been completed for Xabi Alonso to become the new Chelsea manager.
Alonso, 44, visited London early last week and has accepted the opportunity, with a four-year contract now finalised and an announcement expected imminently.
Alonso was the club’s top target throughout, and the former Real Madrid head coach wanted the Stamford Bridge move.
The Athletic reported on Monday that Chelsea were exploring a deal to appoint Alonso as a permanent successor to Liam Rosenior, with outgoing Bournemouth head coach Andoni Iraola also a strong contender.
The former midfielder has been out of management since being sacked by Real Madrid in January, just seven months into the three-year deal he signed in the summer.
Alonso had joined the Spanish club after he guided Bayer Leverkusen to their first Bundesliga title in 2023-24 as part of an unbeaten domestic campaign. Madrid won 10 of Alonso’s first 11 La Liga matches at the helm, including the October 24 Clasico, but fell four points behind eventual winners Barcelona and lost to them in the final of the Supercopa de Espana.
Alonso’s appointment would mark a return to the Premier League after a five-year spell with Liverpool during his playing career, in which he won the Champions League in 2007.
Chelsea parted company with Rosenior on April 23 after less than four months in charge. The former Strasbourg head coach was appointed following Enzo Maresca’s departure in January, but was dismissed after a run of five successive Premier League defeats.
Calum McFarlane was placed in interim charge until the end of the season, and he has overseen a loss to Nottingham Forest and a draw to Liverpool, in addition to guiding the club to the FA Cup final.
