Chelsea are looking for a ‘wild’ manager to replace Rosenior, but are waiting for Liverpool
Chelsea would like to appoint a new ‘wild card’ manager to replace Liam Rosenior, but the tactical expert is very keen to join Liverpool.
Chelsea begin the process of recruiting their next manager after the sacking of Liam Rosenior
Rosenior’s sacking on Wednesday evening ended a short and uninspiring reign that lasted less than four months.
The 41-year-old signed a six-year deal in January and has won just 11 of 23 games, with the last few weeks producing some of the most shocking football the club has seen in decades.
Five consecutive Premier League defeats without a goal, a dressing room that has thrown down tools, and a Champions League place that has long been out of reach.
Calum McFarlane steps in as interim manager for the remainder of the season, buying the club time to carry out a thorough investigation.
Many names have appeared since the news broke.
Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola remains the most-reported option, with Fabrice Hawkins of RMC Sport indicating that Chelsea have already made an early approach to the Spaniard as one of their best players.
Chelsea will face Arsenal legend after sacking Liam Rosenior
The Blues boss has clearly lost the dressing room.
Edin Terzić, who has been without a club since leaving Borussia Dortmund in 2024, is also on the radar, as are Porto’s Francesco Farioli, Germany’s Julian Nagelsmann, former midfielder Cesc Fàbregas and a few other surprises.
BBC Sport reported that the shortlist could have between five and 10 names, with Fulham manager Marco Silva among those being considered.
His contract at Craven Cottage expires this summer and his representation by super-agent Jorge Mendes, who maintains a close relationship with the Chelsea board, could slip in any way possible.
The consensus is that the west Londoners will bide their time until the summer, as BlueCo look determined to find the right man.
One name that will capture the imagination, but is unlikely to appear, is Xabi Alonso.
Chelsea would like to sign Xabi Alonso, but he is waiting for Liverpool
The 44-year-old has been around since leaving Real Madrid at the start of the year following a difficult situation, which is believed to have resulted in him losing the dressing room during his time at the Bernabeu.
His stock remains high after a fine performance at Bayer Leverkusen, where he delivered the Bundesliga title and an unprecedented domestic campaign, and his name has been included in almost every major vacancy in European football.
Chelsea’s interest is real but grounded in reality.
According to SPTC’s Simon Phillips, the club would ‘love’ to sign Alonso, but view him as a complete ‘rogue’, given the belief that the former Spain midfielder is holding out for the Liverpool job.
Whether that opportunity materializes or not is not easy at all.
David Ornstein has stated that Alonso is not in Liverpool’s squad yet, and FSG are expected to continue with Arne Slot as long as the Dutchman can qualify for the Champions League.
Sky Sports have since reported that Slot’s position is being stabilized as Liverpool’s top-five finish looks likely. If he stays, the Anfield door remains closed to Alonso.
For Chelsea, that leaves the search open.
The club’s resources and ambition should be an attractive proposition for any manager, but their reputation for instability and complex ownership structure may make them difficult to recruit.
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