Xabi Alonso is one of the managers being touted as Chelsea’s next permanent boss and he could have work to do in the transfer market
Xabi Alonso could return to management with Chelsea after a short-lived Real Madrid tenure(Image: Getty Images)
Chelsea will have a new permanent manager next season and Xabi Alonso appears to have jumped to the front of the queue. The former Bayer Leverkusen boss joined Real Madrid last summer but was gone just months later and now appears ready to return to the dugout.
Given what has followed at the Bernabeu, plenty have chosen to give the former Spain international a pass. The more we see from the Spanish capital, the more it looks as though he had an impossible task.
According to The Mail, Alonso is the Chelsea higher-ups’ preferred choice to take over as permanent manager, with the club not rushing into a decision following Liam Rosenior’s dismissal. Andoni Iraola and Marco Silva are among the Premier League bosses to be linked as alternatives, while there has also been noise around former Barcelona boss Xavi Hernandez.
If the Blues move for Alonso, though, his previous jobs point to a potential tweak in style as well as personnel. He has generally preferred a 3-4-2-1 set-up and we have taken a look at the players he could sign to slot into such a system at Stamford Bridge.
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Goalkeeper and defence
Plenty of fans will find it hard to conceive of a situation where they go into next season with Robert Sanchez and Filip Jorgensen as the options in goal. They might not need a new signing, though, with Mike Penders remaining highly rated in West London and potentially in line for a recall after a season starting regularly on loan at Strasbourg.
At centre-back, Alonso’s arrival might prompt a fresh approach for Dean Huijsen. The Spain defender was linked with the Blues before opting for Real Madrid but could find himself on the move again – this time one which gives him a chance to play consistently under his compatriot.
There have been calls for the club to add experience to a young team and another Alonso reunion could be the answer here. Burkinabe centre-back Edmond Tapsoba has experience playing in the middle of a three – something he did when Leverkusen won the double under Alonso in 2023/24 – and could be the anchor the Blues need with Huijsen and Levi Colwill either side.
Chelsea were keen on Dean Huijsen before he joined Real Madrid(Image: Javier Borrego/AFP7/Shutterstock)
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Midfield
In the wing-back slots, Marc Cucurella – if he stays – looks like the ideal Alonso player. Reece James ought to still start on the right, though the summer arrival of Geovany Quenda will allow Chelsea to rotate their captain or even move him into central midfield for certain games.
Playing James in the middle could become more necessary if Enzo Fernandez is allowed to leave. If the Argentine moves on then it ought to free up funds for a marquee replacement – potentially one who Alonso reportedly wanted in Madrid.
Crystal Palace star Adam Wharton ended up staying at Selhurst Park despite interest from Madrid and Liverpool, among others. If Fernandez isn’t still at Chelsea next term, the England international looks like someone who could complement Moises Caicedo in the middle – though Palace could hold out for as much as £100m if the player ends up the subject of a bidding war.
Adam Wharton could find himself in high demand this summer(Image: Daniel Weir/Sports Press Photo/Shutterstock)
Attack
The arrival of Alonso could spell bad news for Pedro Neto and Alejandro Garnacho. The manager hasn’t been the biggest fan of forwards who stay wide, with Callum Hudson-Odoi at Leverkusen and Rodrygo at Real Madrid serving as prime examples of those who struggled for minutes during his tenure.
It could be good news for Cole Palmer, though, with a role as one of two 10s potentially bringing the best out of the England international. Estevao looks best place to take the second of those slots, potentially replicating the kind of stand-out displays enjoyed by Florian Wirtz under Alonso’s tutelage.
There’s no real reason to move on from Joao Pedro as the starting No.9 after an impressive first season in difficult circumstances. However, if previous seasons are anything to go by, we could see another couple of rotation options move to the club to help ease the Brazilian’s workload.
Potential Chelsea XI under Xabi Alonso: Penders; Huijsen, Tapsoba, Colwill; James/Quenda, Caicedo, Wharton, Cucurella; Estevao, Palmer; Joao Pedro