Xabi Alonso reaches total agreement to become Chelsea manager

Key Points:

• Xabi Alonso has agreed to become Chelsea's new manager on a four-year contract, with an official announcement expected soon, marking his return to the Premier League after his playing career at Liverpool.
• Alonso was Chelsea’s top target and has previously demonstrated success by leading Bayer Leverkusen to their first Bundesliga title in 2023-24 and achieving strong results at Real Madrid before his January 2024 dismissal.
• His appointment as manager, rather than head coach, suggests a shift in Chelsea’s leadership structure, potentially granting Alonso broader control over the team compared to previous managerial arrangements under BlueCo ownership.
• Alonso’s tactical style, favoring a 3-4-2-1 formation and attacking football, aligns well with Chelsea’s current squad, and he has a track record of improving players such as Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong during his time at Bayer Leverkusen.
• The club hopes Alonso’s challenges at Real Madrid were due to internal politics rather than his abilities, and they anticipate he will bring stability and clarity to Chelsea’s talented but sometimes chaotic squad.