Four of the biggest issues facing new Chelsea boss Alonso

Chelsea have confirmed the appointment of Xabi Alonso as their new manager on a four-year contract, handing the former Bayer Leverkusen and Real Madrid boss the task of bringing long-term stability to Stamford Bridge.

The 44-year-old Spaniard will officially take charge on July 1, succeeding Liam Rosenior — who was sacked in April after just three months at the helm —and interim head coach Calum McFarlane.

Following Saturday’s 1-0 FA Cup final defeat to Manchester City, the Blues look almost certain to endure a season devoid of European football. They sit ninth in the Premier League table with only two games remaining.

While the BlueCo hierarchy have handed Alonso the traditional title of ‘manager’ rather than ‘head coach’, signalling a slight shift in influence, the task ahead is monumental.

Here are four of the biggest issues facing the new Chelsea manager.

1. Rebuilding a fractured relationship with the fans

The atmosphere around the Bridge has grown increasingly toxic. Fans are deeply unhappy. Alonso is now the fifth permanent appointment of the BlueCo ownership era, following Graham Potter, Mauricio Pochettino, Enzo Maresca and Rosenior. Fans have grown thoroughly exhausted by the constant churn of managers and a perceived lack of clear identity. Alonso possesses immense personal gravitas from his stellar playing career and his historic, unbeaten Bundesliga triumph with Leverkusen, but he will need to deploy every ounce of that charisma to get a disillusioned fan base back on side from day one.

2. Managing a bloated squad without European football

With Chelsea languishing in ninth place, the lack of European fixtures next season presents a massive logistical headache. The club’s expansive squad was built with the expectation of competing across multiple fronts. Without the extra rotation required for European road trips, Alonso faces the incredibly difficult task of keeping a large group of high-profile, expensive players happy. Those left out of the Premier League starting 11 will have very few minutes to play, meaning trimming the squad and shifting unwanted fringe players will have to be an immediate priority for the sporting directors this summer.

3. Navigating a complex, collaborative transfer structure

Though Alonso’s designation as ‘manager’ suggests he will wield more leverage than his immediate predecessors, he must still operate within Chelsea’s heavily crowded recruitment web. The club’s transfer policy continues to be run by a multi-layered committee of sporting directors, including Paul Winstanley, Laurence Stewart, Joe Shields, Sam Jewell, and David Fallows. Finding a cohesive workflow where his specific tactical demands are met without clashing with the recruitment team’s data-led model will be vital if Chelsea are to avoid another disjointed summer window.

4. Overcoming the scars of a tough Real Madrid exit

While Alonso reached the absolute peak of stock in world football after guiding Bayer Leverkusen to a domestic double in 2024, his subsequent move to the Bernabeu proved to be a far more bruising experience. Having departed Real Madrid by mutual consent in January after less than eight months in charge, Alonso returns to the dugout with something to prove for the first time in his managerial career. Rebuilding his own momentum while simultaneously trying to fix a club as volatile as Chelsea will test his psychological resilience to the absolute limit.