Xabi Alonso is the ideal Chelsea manager: If former Real Madrid, Leverkusen boss can't fix them, can anyone?
Xabi Alonso has been appointed as Chelsea's new manager on a four-year deal, tasked with revitalizing a club struggling with instability and underperformance. The appointment signals a shift in strategy, as Chelsea seeks to rebuild and compete consistently at the highest level. Alonso, praised for his transformative work at Bayer Leverkusen, inherits a squad with long-term contracts but significant potential.
- ▪Xabi Alonso has signed a four-year contract to become Chelsea's permanent manager, starting July 1, 2026.
- ▪Alonso previously led Bayer Leverkusen to domestic success, ending Bayern Munich's dominance in the Bundesliga.
- ▪Chelsea has struggled for silverware since Clearlake's takeover in 2022, winning only the Conference League and Club World Cup.
- ▪The club has acknowledged flaws in its business model and is entrusting Alonso with broader managerial responsibilities, similar to Mikel Arteta at Arsenal.
- ▪Alonso emphasized shared ambition with Chelsea's leadership to build a competitive team and win trophies.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
Xabi Alonso is the ideal Chelsea manager: If former Real Madrid, Leverkusen boss can't fix them, can anyone? The Blues have been far from stable, and Alonso is tasked with getting them back to contending domestically and in Europe, signing a four-year deal By James Benge May 17, 2026 at 7:31 am ET • 7 min read CBS Sports Only time will tell if Chelsea's acknowledgement that something needs to change with their stalling business model is genuine. However, as a starting point to getting this lumbering titan on its feet once more, there might prove to be few shrewder than appointing Xabi Alonso as their new manager.The 44-year-old was announced Sunday as the permanent successor to a raft of head coaches; the phrasing there is significant, and will begin work on his four-year contract on July…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at CBS Sports.
Discussion
0 commentsMore from CBS Sports
