Xabi Alonso has been appointed as Chelsea’s new manager, the club have announced.
Alonso, 44, has agreed a four-year contract with the west London club and will begin work after the end of the season on July 1.
The Spanish coach had been out of work since being fired by Real Madrid in January after just half a season in charge at the Bernabéu.
“Chelsea is one of the biggest clubs in world football and it fills me with immense pride to become manager of this great club,” Alonso said in a statement.
“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.”
Chelsea, who lost 1-0 to Manchester City in the FA Cup final on Saturday, have endured a turbulent campaign following the exits of Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior, who was fired just 106 days into his six-and-a-half year deal last month.
Despite having also identified Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola and Fulham’s Marco Silva as potential replacements for Rosenior, whose role has been filled by interim coach Calum McFarlane in recent weeks, the Chelsea hierarchy has been in talks with Alonso in recent days after making the former Bayer Leverkusen coach their No. 1 target.
“There is great talent in the squad and huge potential at this football club and it will be my great honour to lead it,” Alonso added.
“Now the focus is on hard work, building the right culture and winning trophies.”
Alonso announced himself as one of Europe’s most promising young managers after he guided Leverkusen to the Bundesliga title unbeaten in 2024.
The former Liverpool, Bayern Munich and Madrid midfielder will hope to steer Chelsea back into Champions League contention after they have failed to qualify three times in the last four years.
“His appointment reflects the club’s belief in his broad set of experiences, coaching quality and game model, leadership attributes, character and integrity, which were key to the decision to ask him to help lead the next phase of Chelsea’s journey,” the club said in a statement.
“Chelsea Football Club looks forward with confidence to the next phase in collaboration with Xabi, united in the determination to bring success to Stamford Bridge, a hallmark of the club’s history and future.”-ESPN
