Xabi Alonso has agreed a four-year deal to become Chelsea’s next permanent head coach after the short spells of Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior.
Alonso, who previously managed Bayer Leverkusen and had a brief stint at Real Madrid, is known for his attractive, possession-based style and his knack for developing young players — something that fits well with Chelsea’s current squad.
The move is designed to finally bring some stability to Stamford Bridge. Reports suggest Alonso made sure he had a strong say over squad matters before putting pen to paper.
Chelsea’s managerial merry-go-round shows no signs of slowing down. They sacked Maresca in January 2026, brought in Liam Rosenior and then let him go after just four months, before turning to interim boss Calum McFarlane ahead of the FA Cup final, which they lost 1-0 to Manchester City on Saturday.
Fabrizio Romano reports that Alonso “will be announced as new Chelsea manager very soon on a FOUR year contract, valid until June 2030.”
Alonso enjoyed major success at Bayer Leverkusen before his short time at Real Madrid came to an end in January 2026. He brings tactical discipline and big expectations as the club looks for some long-term stability under the current ownership. During his spell at Madrid, he posted a 63% win rate across 73 matches but came under huge pressure after failing to overhaul Barcelona in La Liga.
