Former Bayern Munich midfielder Xabi Alonso reaches agreement to coach Chelsea
According to a report from David Ornstein of The Athletic, former Bayern Munich midfielder Xabi Alonso has reached an agreement to become the next head coach at Chelsea FC: An agreement has been completed for Xabi Alonso to become the new Chelsea manager. Alonso, 44, visited London early last week and has accepted the opportunity, […]
JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA - JANUARY 10: Real Madrid head coach Xabi Alonso holds a press conference in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, ahead of the Spanish Super Cup final to be played against Barcelona, on January 10, 2026. (Photo by Ismael Adnan Yaqoob/Anadolu via Getty Images) | Anadolu via Getty Images According to a report from David Ornstein of The Athletic , former Bayern Munich midfielder Xabi Alonso has reached an agreement to become the next head coach at Chelsea FC: An agreement has been completed for Xabi Alonso to become the new Chelsea manager. Alonso, 44, visited London early last week and has accepted the opportunity, with a four-year contract now finalised and an announcement expected imminently.
Alonso was the club’s top target throughout, and the former Real Madrid head coach wanted the Stamford Bridge move. The Athletic reported on Monday that Chelsea were exploring a deal to appoint Alonso as a permanent successor to Liam Rosenior, with outgoing Bournemouth head coach Andoni Iraola also a strong contender. Alonso had an extremely successful coaching tenure at Bayer Leverkusen, where he won the Bundesliga title in 2023/24.
Alonso moved on to a volatile situation at Real Madrid for 2025/26. where he could not connected with a high maintenance locker room, which lacked discipline and rejected Alonso’s rigid expectations. Alonso and Real Madrid parted ways just months after his arrival.
Now, Alonso will get a fresh start in London. If you are looking for more Bayern Munich and German national team coverage, check out the latest episodes of Bavarian Podcast Works, which you can get on Acast , Spotify , Apple , or any leading podcast distributor… Join the conversation! Sign up for a user account and get: New, improved notifications system!