Xabi-ball arrives in London: Chelsea appoint the Spaniard in an attempt steer their ship to glory from next season onwards

Chelsea have hired Xabi Alonso as manager on a four-year contract that runs until 2030. (Image credits – Heute; licence details) 

Chelsea have appointed former Bayer Leverkusen and Real Madrid boss Xabi Alonso as their manager, replacing Liam Rosenior on a four-year deal beginning from the start of the next season.

The 44-year-old became a free agent after he left Real Madrid by mutual consent with the club after joining just eight months prior. It was reported that Alonso had fallen out with the players, and he felt that he had no authority over his team.

However, Alonso had a wonderful period of time in the Bundesliga with Bayer Leverkusen. The Spaniard led Leverkusen to their first league title in 2024 and finished the season as the Invincibles. He also won the German Cup and led his side to the UEFA Europa League final but fell short of winning it against Atalanta, which was the only defeat of their season. 

Xabi’s fearless and attacking style of football impressed many clubs who wanted to seek his services after he left Leverkusen. However, he chose to return to his boyhood club Real Madrid and was doing a decent job as well. The Los Blancos were leading the La Liga race in October under him and even defeated the La Liga champions FC Barcelona in the first El Clasico.

Chelsea announced the arrival of Xabi Alonso, a day after the Blues lost the FA Cup final to Manchester City at Wembley. The fans are positive and expect that the 44-year-old will finally bring some managerial stability to the club, which they've lacked in recent years. 

He is the third managerial appointment this year, after Chelsea had sacked Enzo Maresca, who was doing a brilliant job, and later sacked his replacement, who couldn't implement his ideas at all. For the remaining two games, caretaker manager Callum McFarlane will be in charge of the team with the possibility of Champions League qualification fading away.

Xabi has experienced the Premier League as a player and will be familiar with the physical demands and tactical adaptations required here. He had spent five years at Liverpool and won a Champions League title at the club before moving to Real Madrid.

"Chelsea is one of the biggest clubs in world football, and it fills me with immense pride to become manager of this great club," said Alonso after his signing was announced by the club. (sic)

"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.” (sic)

He added, "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.” (sic)

Can Xabi Alonso revive Chelsea's glory days?

As per reports, Xabi Alonso didn't even think twice before accepting Chelsea's offer, and he was quite enthusiastic about this role at Stamford Bridge. The 44-year-old wanted to return to managing at a top club after his era at Real Madrid ended prematurely despite showing a lot of promise. Alonso was also posed as a potential replacement for Arne Slot at Liverpool after the fans have grown frustrated at the Dutchman for a disappointing trophyless season this year. 

Managing Chelsea is always a difficult job, and even the top names have failed here. Previous bosses who even won trophies were later sacked because of disputes with the board. Enzo Maresca led the club back to the Champions League, won the Conference League and was on course to finish in the top four this season as well. The pressure from the media will be massive in London too.

Xabi Alonso is a perfect fit for this Chelsea side, which is young and athletic, which is perfectly suited for his style of football. Tactically, he's the best manager the Blues could've asked for right now. During his time at Bayer Leverkusen, he made an average side into a title-winning side with a smart 3-4-2-1 structure, relentless pressing and positive build-up play. Chelsea has all those players who can fit into this style of football if coached properly.

Will the club's hierarchy show long-term support and patience for Xabi Alonso? (Image credits – Heute; licence details) 

However, the bigger issue about managing Chelsea isn't tactics; it's the club's ownership. Since Todd Boehly’s BlueCo group took over the club, they've spent a huge amount of money to bring in players but were never consistent with the managers. Many managers came and went, which created a lack of tactical identity in the team, which was somewhat getting fixed by Maresca before they sacked him as well. Now they've got a bunch of young and talented players but without a clear tactical identity to lead them.

Therefore, Alonso can definitely lead this team to glory, but he'll need time, and the ownership must trust the process. The Spaniard will demand control over player recruitment, which will be very important. Chelsea's ownership must be patient, while Alonso must stay away from indulging in dressing room politics, which was the main reason for his premature departure from Real Madrid. If the Blues back him properly like how Arsenal backed Mikel Arteta, they can definitely get success soon.