Xabi Alonso has long been rumored to be a potential Liverpool manager, but the Spaniard will join Chelsea in the Premier League next season.
Xabi Alonso signs a four-year contract with the Blues (Image: Alberto Gardin/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Rio Ferdinand has admitted he was surprised that Xabi Alonso chose to take the Chelsea job, insisting the Liverpool job could have been his if he had “sat tight” amid the doubts surrounding Arne Slott.
The Spaniard will return to the Premier League, but this time in a managerial role at Stamford Bridge. The former Real Madrid manager will sign a four-year contract to lead the Blues following Liam Rosenior’s decision to sack him.
Alonso has a title-winning career following his success with Bayer Leverkusen, but was always tipped as a future Liverpool manager due to his background at Anfield. A portion of the fan base may like him now given the lackluster season he endured under Slott.
The Dutchman faces serious doubts after last week’s 4-1 defeat at Aston Villa was his latest setback. The Reds have lost 12 league games and Ferdinand believes Alonso would have been right to compete for the slot if Liverpool’s bosses had chosen to make a change.
He said on his YouTube channel: “I’m actually surprised he went there. I’m not saying he made the wrong choice. The reason I’m surprised he went there is because I thought he would have had the patience to wait and see how the Arne Slott situation went at Liverpool.”
read more: “I played under Mikel Arteta and Xabi Alonso. It’s clear who is the better manager.”read more: Chelsea aim to fix problems with Xabi Alonso’s first signing in £50m move
“He’s a former Liverpool player, he loves the club, he always speaks well about the club, but you would think it was a relationship that was waiting to happen behind the scenes. “If he sat back, the way things are going at the moment, the way things are playing out at Liverpool, there’s no doubt he’d be next in line to get the job.
“But Chelsea acted quickly. They probably put something in front of him with some big numbers and it changed his head and he just thought, ‘I’m going to do it!’
Arne Slott has struggled to find answers at times this season (Image: AFP via Getty Images)
“Or maybe he thought, ‘You know what? I can’t just sit here hoping and waiting and guessing what’s going to happen at Liverpool if an opportunity like this comes along’… It’s a big club, Chelsea.”
Chelsea have continued to develop their managerial talent under their current ownership, but have yet to hire someone of Alonso’s caliber. Meanwhile, Liverpool may still miss out on the Champions League, but Slott has publicly said he believes he will be in charge next season.
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