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Xabi Alonso has long been tipped to become Liverpool manager but the Spaniard will take up a job in the Premier League with Chelsea come next season<\/h2>\n <\/p>\n\n
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\nXabi Alonso has signed a four-year deal with the Blues(Image: Alberto Gardin\/NurPhoto via Getty Images)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/button><\/p>\n
Rio Ferdinand admits he’s surprised Xabi Alonso opted to take the Chelsea job – insisting the Liverpool gig could’ve been his if he’d “just sat tight” amid the doubt surrounding Arne Slot.<\/p>\n
The Spaniard will return to the Premier League, but this time as a manager, when he takes up his role at Stamford Bridge. The ex-Real Madrid boss will sign a four-year deal to lead the Blues following their decision to sack Liam Rosenior.<\/p>\n
Alonso brings title-winning pedigree following his success at Bayer Leverkusen, but his history at Anfield meant he’d always been tipped as a future Liverpool boss. Sections of the fanbase would like him now given the poor season they’ve endured under Slot.<\/p>\n
The Dutchman is facing serious questions with their latest setback coming in the 4-1 loss at Aston Villa last week. The Reds have lost 12 times in the league and Ferdinand believes Alonso would’ve been right in contention to replace Slot if the Liverpool bosses opted for a change.<\/p>\n
He said on his YouTube channel: “I\u2019m actually surprised he\u2019s gone there. I\u2019m not saying he\u2019s the wrong choice. The reason I\u2019m surprised he\u2019s gone there is because I thought he would have been patient enough to wait and see how the Arne Slot situation at Liverpool would play out.<\/p>\n
READ MORE: ‘I played under Mikel Arteta and Xabi Alonso – it’s clear who’s the better manager’<\/span><\/span>READ MORE: Chelsea target Xabi Alonso’s first signing with \u00a350m transfer to fix problem area<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n“Ex-Liverpool player, loved the club, always speaks well about the club, and you just think that was a relationship waiting to happen behind the scenes. If he\u2019d just sat tight, the way things are going at the moment, the way things are unfolding at Liverpool, surely he\u2019s next in the queue to get that job.<\/p>\n
“But Chelsea have acted quickly, they\u2019ve probably put something in front of him with some big numbers as well that has turned his head and he\u2019s just thought, ‘I\u2019m going to go for it!’<\/p>\n
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\nArne Slot has struggled for answers at times this season(Image: AFP via Getty Images)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/button><\/div>\n
“Or he\u2019s just thought, ‘Do you know what? I can\u2019t just sit here, hope and wait, and be guessing about what\u2019s going to happen at Liverpool if an opportunity like this is here’\u2026 it\u2019s a big club, Chelsea.”<\/p>\n
Chelsea have continued to plough through managers under their current ownership but they have not hired someone of Alonso’s calibre. Liverpool meanwhile could still miss out on the Champions League, but Slot has publicly claimed he believes to be in charge next season.<\/p>\n
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