Xabi Alonso is open to joining Chelsea this summer, despite his former club Liverpool potentially looking for a new manager themselves soon, according to a blockbuster report. The Spaniard, who was released by Real Madrid in January, is on the Blues’ shortlist as they seek a long-term replacement for Liam Rosenior.
Chelsea are in talks with Alonso’s agent, with The Athletic reporting that the 44-year-old is interested in the opportunity. Rosenior replaced Enzo Maresca at Stamford Bridge for just 106 days, paying the price for Chelsea’s dismal performance that almost cost them Champions League qualification. Still, it’s unclear whether the Londoners will label the former Liverpool midfielder as their No. 1 target, but that hasn’t deterred Alonso.
Alonso is on a list of six candidates, along with Cesc Fabregas, Oliver Glasner, Filipe Luis, Andoni Iraola and Marco Silva. Glasner is set to leave UEFA Conference League finalists Crystal Palace at the end of the season, while Iraola is ready to leave Bournemouth, although he could potentially take them to the Champions League.
At the moment, no final decision has been made as to who Chelsea’s first choice will be to replace Alonso. The Spaniard led Bayer Leverkusen to their first-ever Bundesliga title with an impressive unbeaten 2023/24 season, winning the DFB Pokal and reaching the Europa League final, where they lost to Atalanta.
The sudden news that Chelsea are very interested in Alonso will have come as a surprise to Liverpool. If Arne Slott leaves the club this summer, they are expected to put their former player high on their list, with recent claims that his officials have already been approached. Slott has been under increasing pressure at Anfield and was booed heavily against Chelsea on Saturday.
Chelsea plans to have a new head coach in place by mid-June. Even if they don’t qualify for the Champions League, the club are preparing for a big summer and are hoping to at least sign a new centre-back, central midfielder and left-sided winger.
For now, the Blues are focused on signing their next boss. Fabregas wants to remain at Como after qualifying for the Champions League with the Serie A club, but Iraola and Glasner will not be short of options. Silva’s contract also expires this summer, but Fulham have offered him a three-year contract.
Liverpool could also sign some of these coaches if they part ways with Slott. The Reds have publicly declared that they continue to have full faith in the title-winning Dutchman, but growing dissatisfaction among the fan base could change that stance in the coming weeks.
Alonso was heavily linked with Liverpool’s appointment after manager Jurgen Klopp announced his departure, but Slott got the job instead. Alonso is believed to have rejected a move to his former club before signing for Real Madrid in the summer of 2025.
When asked later about rejecting Liverpool, Alonso explained: “We were focused at the time, we had something important to do with the Leverkusen players and we were really focused on that.”
He said in a separate interview: “All these decisions have to be thorough. They have to be thought about seriously. And it wasn’t about what I lack, it was about what I have. Yes, the ties with Liverpool are there and they are still there. So I have no problem with that.”
