The world-class manager is now set to join Chelsea

Todd Boehly’s arrival at Chelsea in May 2022 provided a new opportunity for the Blues to continue and aim for the Premier League title after a five-year drought.

However, despite £1.7bn in new additions during that time, no manager has been able to secure three top-flight finishes in England’s top flight at Stamford Bridge.

Graham Potter, Mauricio Pochettino, Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior have all tried during ownership – but all have failed, with a best 5th place finish so far.

After the latter was sacked last month, the management is once again searching for the next manager to try to make the team stronger.

Many names have already been floated for the role, but it is important that the management gets the right appointment, given their failure in recent years.

The world-class manager is keen on the Chelsea job

In the past few weeks, Chelsea have stepped up their interest in former Barcelona boss Xavi to take over at Stamford Bridge this summer.

The 46-year-old has been out of work for nearly two years after leaving the Spanish giants, but is said to be open to returning to management in the coming months.

However, they are not the only ones looking for Xavi, with Manchester United another team said to be interested in hiring the Spanish player before the 2026/27 campaign.

Despite interest in hiring the former Barca boss this summer, it seems that Xabi Alonso is the man officials want to replace the departed Rosenior.

According to a report in The i Paper, the 44-year-old is currently in the running for the job, after he was sacked from Real Madrid in January and Chelsea are said to be showing ‘great interest’ in the Spaniard.

The report also claims that the former midfielder is preparing to return to management and is open to becoming the new Blues manager, suggesting the club’s management are ready to relinquish employment control to Alonso.

Alonso’s name appears to be at the forefront of the rumours, with Athletic’s David Ornstein also suggesting on Monday evening that they are “exploring” a deal to bring the former Leverkusen boss to London this summer.

Why Alonso will be a better time than Iraola

Despite the aforementioned managerial interest, AFC Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola has once again emerged as a potential member of the vacant Chelsea job.

The Spaniard has announced he will be leaving Vitality this summer, after turning down a number of new contracts to extend his stay on the South Coast.

However, he has been exceeding expectations in charge of the Cherries, with his side currently sitting in sixth place in the Premier League with just two games remaining.

Because of this, their chances of getting European football are in their hands – as the club could be playing in Europe for the first time in its history.

Such a move highlights Iraola’s impressive career at Vitality, and the 43-year-old undoubtedly deserves the chance to manage one of Europe’s best clubs.

However, despite the interest in Iraola, Chelsea’s management are more likely to look at the Spaniard and prioritize a move for his compatriot, Alonso.

Although the former Liverpool player has only been in charge for a few years, he has built up an impressive CV and could eventually bring success back to the Bridge.

He won the Bundesliga title back in 2023/24 with Bayer Leverkusen – after which he secured his first ever top-flight title and did so while going unbeaten.

Alonso, who has been called “world class” by commentator and Como scout Ben Mattinson, also won the DFB Pokal in the same campaign and secured a league and trophy double that will always be remembered.

He had been in charge at the Bernabeu, but was eventually sacked after winning 71% of his games in charge during six months in LaLiga.

Although he didn’t win a trophy with the Spanish giants, he has shown that he can fulfill the expectations of the fans – something that happened at Chelsea.

His experience of winning titles is something Iraola is yet to gain in his managerial career, and the Blues board need to prioritize a move for Alonso.

Interest from other Premier League clubs shows the need to act quickly, and Chelsea may overturn their decision not to proceed with his signing.

Iraola would be an excellent option to help build the future, but a lack of success of late has increased the need for a proven winner – something Alonso is known for.