Chelsea appoint Xabi Alonso as new manager

Chelsea have confirmed the arrival of Xabi Alonso as a permanent manager after reaching an agreement with the Spaniard, following the Blues’ narrow loss to Manchester City in the FA Cup Final at Wembley on Saturday.

Chelsea lost the final painfully, courtesy of a brilliant backheel by City forward Antoine Semenyo in the 72nd minute to secure a 1-0 victory for Pep Guardiola’s side.

Alonso will assume the role of a new manager, replacing Liam Rosenior after his unceremonious sacking in April, following a dismal run of results in the Premier League and Champions League.

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Calum McFarlane assumed the interim role for the side for the second time this season, but he never stood a realistic chance of replicating a Michael Carrick and convincing the bosses that he wanted the job.

Despite the club’s admiration for several coaching options, such as Andoni Iraola, Marco Silva, and Oliver Glasner, Alonso has emerged as the leading contender in recent days, according to various reliable sources, including David Ornstein of The Athletic.

The 44-year-old has put pen to paper on a four-year deal and will be expected to help Chelsea to build a side that will bounce back strongly and return to the Champions League next season.

With the wealth of talent available at Chelsea, there is a growing belief that the former Bayer Leverkusen and Real Madrid manager possesses both the pedigree and tactical quality needed to thrive in the Premier League.

The club confirmed on Sunday their delight in capturing one of the brightest young managers in the game at the moment, and he will officially begin work on July 1.

The appointment of Xabi Alonso is expected to spark fresh optimism among the Chelsea support, despite his strong ties to Liverpool and a turbulent stint at Madrid that ended with his dismissal following unrest within the dressing room.

Read more: Man Utd set to open talks with Michael Carrick over permanent role