Xabi Alonso’s appointment as Chelsea manager has been confirmed on a four-year deal. The former Real Madrid coach will take charge of the Blues from July 1 in what is his first managerial role in the Premier League.
Calum McFarlane has been in interim charge since the sacking of Liam Rosenior last month and was on the touchline for Chelsea’s FA Cup final loss to Manchester City on Saturday.
It emerged soon after the 1-0 defeat that Chelsea had reached an agreement in principle with Alonso, who becomes the latest appointment under BlueCo’s ownership.
The 44-year-old Spaniard told the club's website: “Chelsea is one of the biggest clubs in world football and it fills me with immense pride to become manager of this great club.
“From my conversations with the ownership group and sporting leadership, it is clear we share the same ambition. We want to build a team capable of competing consistently at the highest level and fighting for trophies.
“There is great talent in the squad and huge potential at this football club and it will be my great honour to lead it. Now the focus is on hard work, building the right culture and winning trophies.”
Chelsea began the season with Enzo Maresca in charge, but he departed in January following tension with the club’s hierarchy, who then turned to Rosenior, only to sack him after just three months following a run of six straight league defeats.
A group of Chelsea supporters staged a protest outside Wembley on Saturday to voice their dissatisfaction with the owners.
Analysis: Why Chelsea moved quickly for Alonso
Chelsea reportedly had a shortlist of around five names, including Marco Silva and Andoni Iraola, and spoke to all of the candidates.
But in Alonso, it seems they have a man who ticks all of the boxes. At a time when the fans have been revolting, the recruitment of a big name in world football should excite them and assuage their cravings for a glamour appointment.
After all, this is a club who used to appoint only proven and elite coaches: Mourinho, Ancelotti, Conte, Tuchel and so on...
Despite an unhappy spell at Real Madrid, Alonso was most definitely a winner in Germany with Bayer Leverkusen, where he took the Bundesliga's perennial also-rans and led them to an unbeaten season and a domestic double.
In Germany, he improved so many players, including the likes of Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong who went on to seal big money moves to Liverpool. With Chelsea's squad being full of high potential youngsters, he would seem a good fit in that regard.
The mention of Liverpool is particularly pertinent as many fans of the Merseyside club would have welcomed the appointment of Alonso, their decorated former midfielder, should, as is looking increasingly likely, Arne Slot loses his job. Chelsea may have felt compelled to act quickly and beat them to punch.
At Leverkusen he enjoyed success with a 3-4-2-1 system and it's a tactical set-up that could suit the players at Chelsea. Cole Palmer should certainly relish one of the two roles behind the striker, just as Wirtz did.
Alonso's brief and unhappy spell in charge at Real Madrid should not count against him. The Madrid squad has proven itself near unmanageable this term and the situation deteriorated after his departure.
Chelsea's unpopular owners said they'd learn from their disastrous decision to appoint Rosenior, and this is a step in the right direction.
In Alonso, they have gone for a young, intelligent coach who plays modern football and has the medals – both as a player and coach – to appease a disgruntled fan base.
