Chelsea are all set to get a new manager after the 1–0 FA Cup defeat against Manchester United FC. The Blues are on the lookout for a new permanent manager after Liam Rosenior was sacked last month.
Chelsea have reportedly reached an advanced stage of negotiations with Spaniard Xabi Alonso to appoint him as the club’s new manager.
According to BBC Sport, the 44-year-old is expected to sign a four-year deal with the Pensioners.
Other top contenders for the position include Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola, Fulham’s Marco Silva, and Crystal Palace’s Oliver Glasner.
Reports suggest the club wanted to wait until after the FA Cup final against Manchester United before making the appointment public, with an announcement potentially expected in the coming days.
Alonso has not joined any team since he left Real Madrid in January after spending just eight months with the club.
There were rumours that he might move to Liverpool as pressure on incumbent manager Arne Slot was increasing; however, it is now understood that the club has decided to move forward with Slot at least for the next season.
Alonso has had a successful run at Bayer Leverkusen, which he led from October 2022 until the end of the 2024–25 season. Under Alonso’s management, Leverkusen won their first Bundesliga title and their first German Cup.