Xabi Alonso agrees four-year deal to become Chelsea head coach

Chelsea has reached a verbal agreement to appoint Xabi Alonso as their new head coach on a four-year deal, according to The Athletic.

Alonso visited London early last week to finalise discussions, with an official announcement now expected imminently.

Following the dismissal of Liam Rosenior on April 23 after less than four months in charge, the Blues identified the Spaniard as their preferred candidate.

Rosenior departed Chelsea after enduring a run of five straight Premier League defeats without finding the back of the net.

Calum McFarlane took interim charge until the end of the season, overseeing a defeat to Nottingham Forest, a draw with Liverpool, and an FA Cup final loss to Manchester City.

Although outgoing Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola and Fulham’s Marco Silva were also considered, Chelsea’s hierarchy ultimately settled on the former Real Madrid manager.

Alonso has been out of management since leaving Real Madrid in January, following a difficult seven-month spell in the Spanish capital.

The 44-year-old arrived at the Bernabéu last summer after masterminding Bayer Leverkusen’s first-ever Bundesliga title in an unbeaten 2023/24 domestic campaign.

He started strongly at Madrid with 10 wins from his opening 11 La Liga matches, including the October Clasico, but fell four points behind eventual winners Barcelona and lost to them in the Supercopa de España final.

Alonso’s appointment would signal a return to the Premier League after a five-year spell at Liverpool during his playing career, where he famously won the Champions League in 2007.

The club’s hierarchy is also believed to have assured Alonso that he will have a strong say in recruitment, marking a shift from previous appointments under the BlueCo ownership group.

The Spaniard is known for favouring a 3-4-2-1 formation, a system that could suit Chelsea’s squad given their familiarity with a back three under Enzo Maresca and Rosenior over the past two seasons.

The system could also suit Cole Palmer, who has seen his form dip in the last 18 months, potentially allowing him to rediscover his spark with greater attacking freedom first introduced under Mauricio Pochettino in 2023/24.

Chelsea will be hoping Alonso’s arrival finally brings some stability and clear direction after another short and unsettled spell in charge at Stamford Bridge, which has once again disrupted their progress.