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Alonso to Stamford Bridge
Chelsea have reached an agreement in principle to appoint Xabi Alonso as their next permanent manager, with an announcement expected on Sunday after the club’s 1-0 FA Cup final defeat to Manchester City on Saturday.
“Xabi Alonso has agreed to become Chelsea's next permanent manager on a four-year deal”
Sky Sports says Alonso has agreed to become Chelsea’s next permanent manager on a four-year deal, and that he will start work at Stamford Bridge on July 1 in time for pre-season.
The 42 says Chelsea are close to appointing Alonso as their new manager and that he will become the fifth permanent appointment of the BlueCo ownership era following Graham Potter, Mauricio Pochettino, Enzo Maresca and Rosenior.
Sky Sports adds that Chelsea sacked Liam Rosenior in April after only three months in charge, and that Chelsea are currently ninth in the Premier League table.
Sky Sports also says Alonso has been out of work since being sacked by Real Madrid in January earlier this year, and that he will hold the title of manager rather than head coach.
Liverpool pressure and shortlist
The Liverpool angle remains active in the reporting, with The 42 saying Alonso emerged as the leading candidate to replace Liam Rosenior while other coaches under consideration included Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola and Fulham’s Marco Silva.
Sky Sports reports that news of Alonso’s imminent appointment emerged shortly after Chelsea’s 1-0 FA Cup final defeat to Manchester City on Saturday, where interim boss Calum McFarlane was in the dugout.
In a separate thread, Liverpool pressure is reflected in the Liverpool | Western Mainstream account that Alonso has reached an agreement in principle to become the next Chelsea head coach as Arne Slot faces scrutiny.
That same Liverpool report quotes Arne Slot saying, "I can understand at this moment in time that they (the fans) don't have a lot of confidence or a lot of feeling that things can be much better next season," after Liverpool lost a 19th game in all competitions this season at Aston Villa.
Sky Sports also notes that Alonso had been linked with the Liverpool role but says Arne Slot looks set to stay, while adding that Iraola and Marco Silva were on Chelsea’s shortlist.
European football at stake
Chelsea’s managerial change is framed as part of a rebuild after the FA Cup final loss, with The 42 saying defeat to Manchester City means Chelsea are likely to be without European football next season for the second time in the BlueCo era.
“Defeat to Manchester City in Saturday’s FA Cup final meant Chelsea are likely to be without European football next season”
Sky Sports adds that an eighth-place finish would secure Conference League qualification, and that while it is unlikely, a sixth or a seventh finish could see them into the Europa League.
The 42 says the club moved quickly to secure a manager that won the Champions League twice as a player and led Bayer Leverkusen to an unbeaten Bundesliga-winning season in his first campaign as a coach.
Sky Sports describes Chelsea’s rationale for the appointment as lessons learned from past mistakes, saying Alonso will be challenged to build a culture as well as a team.
Sportsnet | Western Alternative says Chelsea has yet to challenge for the Premier League title under its U.S. owners, Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital, and that it looks likely to miss out on qualifying for the Champions League for the third time in four seasons.
