Xabi Alonso has reached an agreement on a four-year deal to become Chelsea’s manager

After coming to an agreement in principle with the Spaniard to become their next manager, Chelsea is about to sign Xabi Alonso to a four-year deal. They favour Alonso, who has been unemployed since departing Real Madrid in January. This week, negotiations have picked up speed, and an announcement may be made prior to Chelsea’s Premier League match against Tottenham on Tuesday.

After a tumultuous season, Chelsea is expected to rebuild after losing 1-0 to Manchester City in the FA Cup final on Saturday. They collapsed when Rosenior, who was sacked 106 days into a six-and-a-half-year contract last month, took Enzo Maresca’s tumultuous exit on New Year’s Day.

Alonso was damaged by his brief time at Madrid and will be Chelsea’s sixth permanent manager since the BlueCo group took over in 2022. However, he has been on Chelsea’s radar for at least three years, along with Filipe Luís, Andoni Iraola, Oliver Glasner, and Marco Silva.

Alonso reaches agreement in principle to be next Chelsea boss

However, the club’s favoured choice turned out to be former Real Madrid and Liverpool midfielder Alonso, and negotiations have finally come to an end. Before disclosing their employment to the public, the club were eager to finish the FA Cup final against Manchester City.

Alonso is said to have been receptive to the position if he secured specific assurances during the weeks-long talks. With pressure mounting on Arne Slot after a dismal season, Alonso has been linked to a possible transfer to Liverpool, where he played for five seasons.

Although it’s unclear if Liverpool’s position would change if the squad doesn’t make it to the Champions League, it is believed that the Anfield team is getting ready to stay with Slot for the upcoming campaign. Since leaving Real after less than eight months in command in January, Alonso has remained unemployed.

Before relocating to the Bernabéu last summer, he spent his first full season as a senior club manager in 2023–2024, leading Leverkusen to their first Bundesliga title—achieved without losing a game—as well as the German Cup.