Despite being sacked by Real Madrid mid-season, Xabi Alonso remains a top target for several European giants. The Spanish coach took over Los Blancos last summer, led them to the Club World Cup, but was dismissed after losing the Spanish Super Cup to Barcelona.
According to Spanish outlet AS, Chelsea’s management has approached Alonso to offer him the managerial role at Stamford Bridge following a turbulent campaign that saw the dismissals of Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior. The London club is searching for a young, methodical coach, and Alonso is seen as the ideal candidate.
As noted by AS, “Although the approach from BlueCo, Chelsea’s ownership, with a tempting offer is not typical for an ambitious coach like Xabi Alonso, the possibility of joining a strong Premier League club should always be considered.” Alonso is expected to listen to the proposal, and if accepted, the position would be his, despite other names like Iraola, Glasner, and Filipe Luís also being linked in recent reports.
A major hurdle is Chelsea’s current failure to qualify for European competitions. AS adds that this could impact any appointment, though the Blues have an FA Cup final and remaining league games to improve their standing. Crucially, Alonso reportedly has no objection to taking charge even without European football.
The bigger obstacle appears to be Liverpool’s situation. While Arne Slot’s season hasn’t been spectacular, winning the Premier League last year gives him enough credit to remain in charge beyond the summer. It’s well known that Alonso has a close bond with Anfield and dreams of managing the Reds one day. However, for that to happen, the Liverpool job must become vacant—something that seems unlikely at present. This very scenario is pushing Alonso toward seriously considering Chelsea’s offer.
