SPANIARD Xabi Alonso has reached an agreement in principle on a four-year deal to become Chelsea’s next permanent manager.
The appointment of the former Real Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen boss, 44, is expected in the coming days.
Chelsea have been keen to secure a replacement for Liam Rosenior, who was sacked last month.
BBC Sport reported on Monday that Chelsea had started contacting prospective new managers, including Alonso, Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola, Fulham’s Marco Silva and Crystal Palace’s Oliver Glasner.
However, former Real and Liverpool midfielder Alonso emerged as the club’s preferred candidate and talks have now reached a conclusion.
The club were keen to get the FA Cup final against Manchester City out of the way before making any knowledge of their appointment public.
Talks have been ongoing for a number of weeks and Alonso is understood to have been open to the role if he received certain assurances.
Alonso has been linked with a potential move to Liverpool, where he spent five seasons as a player, in recent weeks with the pressure on Arne Slot increasing following a disappointing season.
But it is understood the Anfield club are preparing to stick with Slot for next season – although it remains to be seen whether Liverpool’s stance alters should the team fail to qualify for the Champions League.
Alonso has been out of work since he left Real after less than eight months in charge in January.
He led Leverkusen to their first Bundesliga title – secured without losing a game – as well as the German Cup in his first full season as a senior club manager during the 2023-24 campaign before moving to the Bernabeu last summer.
Alonso was always open to moving to London and working at Chelsea, and is now understood to be highly enthusiastic about the role.
He is also keen to relocate and is ready to return to a top-level club job six months after his departure from Real.
Any initial concerns during early negotiations about the much-criticised BlueCo project have now been allayed.
However, it remains a tough task to galvanise Chelsea in a season in which two permanent head coaches left the club.
Players have been accused of downing tools, while Marc Cucurella and Enzo Fernandez have appeared openly critical of the project in interviews in their native language.
It is hoped Alonso will have the personality, gravitas from his playing career and tactical acumen to bring the club back to the standards it expects by qualifying for the Champions League and winning trophies.
He may have to do so without European football, with Chelsea ninth and needing to finish at least eighth to qualify for the Conference League after missing the chance to reach the Europa League by winning the FA Cup.