HERE WE GO! Chelsea appoint Xabi Alonso as new manager on a four-year deal
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "HERE WE GO! Chelsea appoint Xabi Alonso as new manager on a four-year deal")
HERE WE GO! Chelsea appoint Xabi Alonso as new manager on a four-year deal Photograph: (AFP)
Official: Chelsea have confirmed the blockbuster appointment of Xabi Alonso as their new manager on a four-year contract starting July 1, 2026.
London club Chelsea has appointed Xabi Alonso as the new manager on Sunday (May 17) on a four-year deal, with the Spaniard becoming the latest tactician tasked to overturn The Blues’ fortune. Chelsea lost the FA Cup Final to Manchester City on Saturday (May 16), and currently sit ninth in the Premier League standings with two games to go. Although they are out of Europe for the next season, Alonso’s appointment could help them chase the lost pride, with all domestic titles on the line next season.
Former Liverpool and Real Madrid midfielder Alonso rose to prominence as one of Europe’s brightest managers following guiding Bayer Leverkusen to an unbeaten German league and cup double in the 2023/24 season. However, his run as Madrid’s manager lasted only seven months before departing the La Liga giants last January.
"Chelsea Football Club is delighted to announce the appointment of Xabi Alonso as manager of the men’s team," Chelsea said in a statement. "The Spaniard will begin his role on July 1, 2026, having agreed a four-year contract at Stamford Bridge."
Alonso faces a huge task to get Chelsea back in the running for major honours.
Chelsea did win the FIFA Club World Cup and the UEFA Conference League last year, but has little else to show for well over one billion pounds ($1.35 billion) of spending on players since a US consortium BlueCo took over in 2022 following Roman Abramovich's trophy-laden ownership of the club.
Defeat at Wembley on Saturday means they have now gone eight seasons without a domestic trophy.
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Fans have continuously protested against BlueCo, which has embarked on a scattergun approach to hoovering up young talent from across the globe.
That policy has secured some notable successes, such as England international Cole Palmer. But a lack of experience in both the playing squad and, often, in the coaching staff, has been blamed for a lack of consistency.
Alonso becomes the sixth permanent manager to take charge at Stamford Bridge in the past four years after Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter, Mauricio Pochettino, Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior. The 44-year-old has a point to prove after a turbulent short spell in Madrid.
(With inputs from AFP)
