Chelsea are exploring a deal to appoint Xabi Alonso as their new head coach, with the Spaniard open to the possibility as the club continues its search for a permanent successor to Liam Rosenior. Nothing has been decided yet, and the process remains active with another major contender also in the frame.
Andoni Iraola, the outgoing Bournemouth head coach, is also a strong candidate for the Chelsea job. Chelsea parted company with Rosenior on April 23 after less than four months in charge and placed Calum McFarlane in interim control until the end of the season, leaving the club to weigh its next move while the campaign is still under way.
Alonso has been out of management since January 12, when Real Madrid sacked him seven months into the three-year deal he signed after succeeding Carlo Ancelotti in the summer. Madrid replaced him with reserve team coach Alvaro Arbeloa, ending a brief spell that began with promise but finished with the club in second place, four points behind Barcelona, after a run that included 10 wins from his first 11 La Liga matches and a Supercopa de Espana final defeat to Hansi Flick’s side.
His managerial reputation was built at Bayer Leverkusen, where he led the club to their first Bundesliga title in 2023-24 with an unbeaten domestic season. Leverkusen also reached the Europa League final before losing to Atalanta, a run that turned Alonso into one of the most coveted coaches in Europe.
That history matters at Chelsea because the club want a permanent appointment with experience at the highest level, and Alonso’s links to elite dressing rooms stretch well beyond management. He spent five years at Real Madrid as a player between 2009 and 2014, winning five trophies including one Champions League title, after joining from Liverpool, where he spent five years in the Premier League and was part of the side that won the Champions League in 2007.
Iraola brings a different case. He confirmed in April that he will leave Bournemouth when his contract expires at the end of this season, and his availability adds urgency to a decision Chelsea have not yet made. He joined Bournemouth from Rayo Vallecano in June 2023 to replace Gary O’Neil, and his name has stayed near the top of the conversation.
The Athletic reported this month that Chelsea’s shortlist also included Marco Silva, underlining that the club are still shaping the field rather than closing on one candidate. Liverpool, meanwhile, are not considering Alonso and intend to go into next season with Arne Slot, removing one possible route back into English football for the former midfielder. For Chelsea, the next step is not mystery but choice: whether they want the coach with the biggest European breakthrough, the one already leaving a Premier League rival, or another name still to emerge.
