{"id":890,"date":"2026-04-26T02:06:09","date_gmt":"2026-04-26T02:06:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/?p=890"},"modified":"2026-04-26T02:06:09","modified_gmt":"2026-04-26T02:06:09","slug":"xabi-alonso-to-chelsea-liverpool-decision-sparks-twist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/?p=890","title":{"rendered":"Xabi Alonso to Chelsea? Liverpool decision sparks twist"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"content-main\">\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<!--post-header--><\/p>\n<div id=\"post-feat-img\" class=\"left relative\" itemprop=\"image\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" class=\"attachment- size- wp-post-image ewww_webp_lazy_load\" alt=\"Chelsea\" decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sixsports.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Chelsea-FC-107.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/sixsports.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Chelsea-FC-107-600x338.jpg 600w, https:\/\/sixsports.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Chelsea-FC-107-768x432.jpg 768w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/sixsports.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Chelsea-FC-107.jpg\" src-webp=\"https:\/\/sixsports.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Chelsea-FC-107.jpg.webp\" srcset-webp=\"https:\/\/sixsports.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Chelsea-FC-107.jpg.webp 1200w, https:\/\/sixsports.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Chelsea-FC-107-600x338.jpg.webp 600w, https:\/\/sixsports.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Chelsea-FC-107-768x432.jpg.webp 768w\"\/><img width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/sixsports.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Chelsea-FC-107.jpg\" class=\"attachment- size- wp-post-image\" alt=\"Chelsea\" decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sixsports.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Chelsea-FC-107.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/sixsports.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Chelsea-FC-107-600x338.jpg 600w, https:\/\/sixsports.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Chelsea-FC-107-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\"\/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<meta itemprop=\"url\" content=\"https:\/\/sixsports.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Chelsea-FC-107.jpg\"\/><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"1200\"\/><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"675\"\/><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<!--post-feat-text-->\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p><!--post-feat-img--><\/p>\n<section class=\"social-sharing-top\">\n<p><span class=\"fb-but1\"><i class=\"fa-brands fa-facebook-f\"\/><\/span><span class=\"social-text\">Share<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"#\" onclick=\"window.open('http:\/\/twitter.com\/share?text=Xabi Alonso to Chelsea? Liverpool decision sparks twist -&amp;url=https:\/\/sixsports.in\/xabi-alonso-to-chelsea-liverpool-decision-sparks-twist\/', 'twitterShare', 'width=626,height=436'); return false;\" title=\"Share This Post\"><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"twitter-but1\"><i class=\"fa-brands fa-x-twitter\"\/><\/span><span class=\"social-text\">Share<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"whatsapp-but1\"><i class=\"fa-brands fa-whatsapp fa-2\"\/><\/span><span class=\"social-text\">Share<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"pinterest-but1\"><i class=\"fa-brands fa-pinterest-p\"\/><\/span><span class=\"social-text\">Share<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"email-but\"><i class=\"fa fa-envelope fa-2\"\/><\/span><span class=\"social-text\">Email<\/span><\/p>\n<\/section>\n<p><!--social-sharing-top--><\/p>\n<div class=\"sx-entity-card\">\n<div class=\"sx-entity-top\">\n<div class=\"sx-entity-logo\">\n                <img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"350\" height=\"350\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/sixsports.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/chelsea_fc_logo-1.avif\" alt=\"CHELSEA\"\/>\n            <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"sx-entity-description\">\n<p>            Chelsea is one of England\u2019s premier football clubs, competing in the Premier League and European competitions such as the UEFA Champions League. Known for its strong squad, tactical versatility, and competitive history, Chelsea has won multiple league titles, domestic cups,\u2026            <a class=\"sx-entity-readmore\" href=\"https:\/\/sixsports.in\/team\/chelsea\/\"><br \/>\n                Read More about CHELSEA\n        <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Chelsea have hit the reset button once again. The sudden end to Liam Rosenior\u2019s short spell has left the club looking for a new manager. Now, Xabi Alonso is reportedly leading this managerial race.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-liam-rosenior-exit-leaves-chelsea-searching-for-a-new-manager\">Liam Rosenior exit leaves Chelsea searching for a new manager<\/h2>\n<p>The sacking of Liam Rosenior did not just end a poor run, it exposed bigger issues inside <strong>Chelsea<\/strong>. The head coach was handed a six year deal in January. But, he lasted just less than four months. This says everything about how unstable things have become at Stamford Bridge. <\/p>\n<p>Rosenior\u2019s record of 11 wins from 23 matches looks poor. The team ended his tenure with five straight defeats in the <strong>Premier League<\/strong> without scoring a single goal. That is a stat that tells how bad the attack had become. <\/p>\n<p>As per EPL stats, the Blues averaged just 0.87 goals per game during that run. That is one of the lowest in the league across that spell. The dressing room reportedly lost belief, and performances dipped to a level fans had not seen in years. With <strong>Champions League<\/strong> hopes already gone, the club had little choice but to act quickly.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Also Read:<\/strong> <strong>Rosenior out! Chelsea sack boss after Brighton humiliation<\/strong><\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-197300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sixsports.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Chelsea-123.webp 1200w, https:\/\/sixsports.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Chelsea-123-600x338.webp 600w, https:\/\/sixsports.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Chelsea-123-768x432.webp 768w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/sixsports.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Chelsea-123.webp\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/sixsports.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Chelsea-123.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-197300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sixsports.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Chelsea-123.webp 1200w, https:\/\/sixsports.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Chelsea-123-600x338.webp 600w, https:\/\/sixsports.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Chelsea-123-768x432.webp 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\"\/><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-xabi-alonso-seen-as-a-dream-target\">Xabi Alonso seen as a dream target <\/h2>\n<p>Chelsea\u2019s search has already turned into a big story at the moment. As per reports, Xabi Alonso is sitting at the top of their wishlist. His name remains strong despite a mixed spell at Real Madrid. There, he reportedly struggled to keep control of the squad. Still, his work at Bayer Leverkusen continues to carry serious weight. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Also Read:<\/strong> <strong>Chelsea latest: Vinicius Jr transfer stance emerges in twist<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The Spaniard led them to a historic Bundesliga title and an unbeaten domestic season. They finished the season with 28 wins and 6 draws in 34 matches, as per Bundesliga data. Those kinds of numbers are hard to ignore for a Chelsea side desperate for identity and structure.<\/p>\n<p>However, this move is not as easy as it seems. Alonso is believed to be waiting for a potential move to Liverpool. That is a job he has long been linked with due to his playing history there. This puts the Blues in a tough spot, as they risk becoming a backup option.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-plenty-of-other-options-for-chelsea\">Plenty of other options for Chelsea<\/h2>\n<p>With uncertainty around Alonso, Chelsea are exploring other options. Names from outside the usual top group are being discussed as well. This comes as the club looks for someone who can rebuild both tactics and mentality. <\/p>\n<p>Interim boss Calum McFarlane has been tasked with improving the current results. But, the long term vision remains unclear at the west London club. Their season numbers show the urgency as they currently sit outside European qualification spots. <\/p>\n<p>They have an expected goals tally of 42.3 compared to 39 actual goals, as per FBref. This suggests a team lacking finishing intent at the moment. That gap shows chances are being created but not finished. This is an issue that needs both great coaching and confidence.<\/p>\n<p>The next manager must look for more than just the tactics. He must bring the dressing room together and handle pressure from ownership. In addition, he will have to deliver results quickly in one of the most demanding leagues in world <strong>football<\/strong>. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Also Read:<\/strong> <strong>Chelsea latest: Julian Alvarez sets major transfer demand twist<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>For now, Chelsea are not just hiring a coach, they are searching for stability, identity, and belief all at once. The Blues now stand at a key moment where the next managerial call could change their club for years. Whether they bring in Xabi Alonso or any other manager, the priority is to bring stability back at the west London club. <\/p>\n<div class=\"preferred-source-box\" style=\"margin-top:40px;padding:25px;background: #1865b4;border:1px solid #ddd;border-radius:8px;text-align:center;\">\n<h2 style=\"font-size:24px;margin-bottom:10px;color:#fff;\">ENJOYED THIS STORY?<\/h2>\n<p style=\"font-size:16px;margin-bottom:20px;color:#fff;\">\n<p>                    Add Six Sports as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting\n                <\/p>\n<p>                    <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Add as a preferred source on Google\" style=\"max-width:260px;height:auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.goal.com\/img\/google-trusted-source\/google_preferred_source_badge_dark@2x.webp\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.goal.com\/img\/google-trusted-source\/google_preferred_source_badge_dark@2x.webp\" alt=\"Add as a preferred source on Google\" style=\"max-width:260px;height:auto;\"\/><\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"after-article-links\" style=\"margin-top:20px; font-size:14px;\">Follow the latest updates from <strong>Premier League<\/strong>, <strong>The League<\/strong> and<br \/>\n        <strong>Champions League<\/strong>or explore more<br \/>\n        <strong>Football<\/strong> stories, <strong>Football Teams<\/strong> &#038; <strong>All Football Competitions<\/strong> . Follow more updates on CHELSEA and LIVERPOOL. You can also check <strong>Latest Sports News<\/strong> or visit <strong>Six Sports<\/strong> for more Football updates.<\/div>\n<div class=\"fe-author-box\" itemprop=\"author\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Person\">\n<div class=\"fe-author-avatar\">\n        <img loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/5e5f688e8ef47bf47037a790559db1f6c9bfa0e5a27dd0b97369ccadb99ec34e?s=200&amp;d=mm&amp;r=g 2x\" class=\"avatar avatar-100 photo\" height=\"100\" width=\"100\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/5e5f688e8ef47bf47037a790559db1f6c9bfa0e5a27dd0b97369ccadb99ec34e?s=100&amp;d=mm&amp;r=g\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/5e5f688e8ef47bf47037a790559db1f6c9bfa0e5a27dd0b97369ccadb99ec34e?s=100&amp;d=mm&amp;r=g\" srcset=\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/5e5f688e8ef47bf47037a790559db1f6c9bfa0e5a27dd0b97369ccadb99ec34e?s=200&amp;d=mm&amp;r=g 2x\" class=\"avatar avatar-100 photo\" height=\"100\" width=\"100\" decoding=\"async\"\/>    <\/div>\n<div class=\"fe-author-content\">\n<h2 class=\"fe-author-name\" itemprop=\"name\">\n<p>                Abhijeet Nalawade<br \/>\n        <\/h2>\n<p class=\"fe-author-bio\" itemprop=\"description\">\n<p>                Abhijeet Nalawade is a Senior Football Writer at Six Sports, providing in-depth coverage and expert analysis of football matches, player performances, and tactical developments. With extensive experience in football journalism, he specializes in delivering detailed insights and feature articles that keep readers informed and engaged.&#13;<br \/>\n&#13;<br \/>\nThrough his work at Six Sports, Abhijeet produces comprehensive football content, including match breakdowns, tactical evaluations, and analytical features. His writing combines clarity with expertise, making him a trusted voice for football enthusiasts seeking high-quality coverage of the sport.            <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"mvp-org-wrap\" itemprop=\"publisher\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Organization\">\n<div class=\"mvp-org-logo\" itemprop=\"logo\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"690\" height=\"145\" src=\"https:\/\/sixsports.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Six-Sports.png\" src-webp=\"https:\/\/sixsports.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Six-Sports.png.webp\" class=\"ewww_webp_lazy_load\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"690\" height=\"145\" src=\"https:\/\/sixsports.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Six-Sports.png\"\/><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<meta itemprop=\"url\" content=\"https:\/\/sixsports.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Six-Sports.png\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p><!--mvp-org-logo--><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<meta itemprop=\"name\" content=\"Six Sports\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p><!--mvp-org-wrap--><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<!--posts-nav-link--><\/p>\n<div class=\"mentioned-article-block\">\n<h3 class=\"mentioned-title\">Mentioned in this Article<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<!--comments-button--><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<!--comments-->\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Share Share Share Share Email Chelsea is one of England\u2019s premier football clubs, competing in&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":891,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pagelayer_contact_templates":[],"_pagelayer_content":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-890","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-chelsea"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/890","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=890"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/890\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/891"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=890"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=890"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=890"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}