Iker Casillas wants 44-year-old at Real Madrid, but he’s ‘destined’ to manage Chelsea

However, the stint was unexpectedly short-lived. Despite a strong start, Alonso struggled to navigate an increasingly divided dressing room and friction with the hierarchy, which led to him parting ways with the club by mutual consent in January 2026 after a Super Cup defeat to Barcelona.

And now with Chelsea seeking a new manager after Liam Rosenior’s sacking, it seems as if Xabi Alonso could be the man to take charge at Stamford Bridge.

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Iker Casillas calls for Xabi Alonso to take charge at Real Madrid

Iker Casillas says he wants Xabi Alonso back at Real Madrid after reports he’s destined to join Chelsea, as he brushed aside a question on Jose Mourinho potentially returning to the Bernabeu (via Movistar).

Well, for me, that’s not really something I should decide. Personally, I’d like Xabi Alonso. Xabi Alonso is a coach who has brought success to Leverkusen and created a very good playing system.

“I think, despite his relative youth as a coach, he’s capable of managing Real Madrid. And if you ask me, I would sign Xabi Alonso again.”

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Xabi Alonso is supposedly ‘destined’ to join Chelsea

A journalist over in Italy made the claim earlier this week that Xabi Alonso is, in fact, heading in the direction of Chelsea, ruling him out of the AC Milan running.

“It remains to be seen what Massimiliano Allegri will do. I don’t think he’ll be able to continue with Furlani, that’s my feeling.

“If Max were to leave, the candidate would be Italiano, who is rumoured to be leaving Bologna. The coach who Milan liked as an alternative to Allegri – a thought from a few months ago – is Xabi Alonso.

“But he seems destined for Chelsea. When it was said that Furlani made a trip to Düsseldorf last year, it was precisely to sound out Xabi Alonso.”