Xabi Alonso stance on managing Chelsea amid Liverpool links

Former Real Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso is reportedly ‘open’ to the idea of becoming Chelsea manager.

Chelsea’s hunt for a new head coach is now almost a month old, with club’s sporting leadership group beginning their search in the immediate aftermath of Liam Rosenior’s dismissal.

Rosenior had enjoyed a promising start to life in the Chelsea dugout but results and performances took a turn for the worse from early February – and a miserable run of five straight league defeats without scoring a single goal proved the final straw.

Under-21 coach Calum McFarlane picked up the pieces from Rosenior’s turbulent 107-day reign and oversaw a 1-0 victory over Leeds to steer Chelsea into this year’s FA Cup final.

But a heavy 3-1 defeat at home to Nottingham Forest served as a stark reminder of Chelsea’s desperate situation in the league – and Stamford Bridge bosses are eager to secure a deal for Rosenior’s permanent successor sooner rather than later.

Since Rosenior’s sacking, a host of high-profile names have been linked with the vacant position, including the likes of Cesc Fabregas, Xavi and Andoni Iraola, with the latter confirming that this season will be his last at Bournemouth.

It’s understood Xavi is viewed as the most realistic option of the three and recent reports indicated the ex-Barcelona boss was perceptive to the possibility of taking over the reins in west London.

According to The Athletic’s David Ornstein, Xavi’s fellow countryman Alonso is similarly ‘open’ to the prospect of managing Chelsea and a deal for the ex-Liverpool and Real Madrid midfielder is being actively ‘explored’.

However, with the recruitment process ongoing, the report suggests Chelsea want to avoid making a knee-jerk decisions and no final call has been made regarding a potential appointment at this stage.

Iraola is said to remain a ‘strong contender’ for the role, while Fulham head coach Marco Silva, former Chelsea defender Filipe Luis and Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner are also under consideration.

Alonso won himself admirers across European football and established himself as one of the most highly sought-after young managers in the game with his extraordinary work in charge of Leverkusen, his first post in senior management.

After taking over from Gerardo Seoan, Alonso oversaw an unprecedented undefeated domestic double in 2023/24, steering the club to its first ever Bundesliga title and a first DFB-Pokal in three decades.

The 44-year-old’s remarkable success in Germany earned him a return to Real Madrid, where he had been a fan favourite as a player, but he was sacked after only seven months in charge at the Bernabeu.

The decision to part ways with Alonso came after Madrid had suffered defeat to Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final, with Hansi Flick’s men also holding a four-point lead at the top of La Liga at the time.

Alonso, who has been out of a job since is dismissal in January, has also been tipped as a potential solution at Liverpool, where Arne Slot finds himself under intense pressure after an immensely disappointing title defence in the Premier League.

‘Of course there is a bond with my former club, but for now this is my place,’ Alonso said of a potential reunion with Liverpool just weeks before his departure at the Bernabeu.

‘In future, you never know what might happen.’

Talking to TNT Sports this week, Joe Cole, who of course represented both Chelsea and Liverpool, suggested Alonso would ‘light up’ Anfield should he return to Merseyside – 17 years after he left as a player.

‘Liverpool usually stick by their manager,’ Cole explained.

‘People have said that Jurgen Klopp won Arne Slot the league last season, but it was Slot’s team

‘There have been circumstances, some of it tragic, then they’ve had issues with the new signings. Alexander Isak started poorly, Florian Wirtz hasn’t settled, Hugo Ekitike has been injured, and we’ve seen the difference between Mohamed Salah this and last season.

‘There’s been so many factors, but I always come back to that fact that Xabi Alonso is available.

‘That’s the one thing that’s always hanging there, and he might not be available again. We saw what he did at Bayer Leverkusen.

‘It didn’t work out at Real Madrid, but, of course, Arne Slot should stay. Alonso is there, and this place would light up again with him in the hot seat.’

For more stories like this, check our sport page.

Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.