Chelsea Weigh Alonso And Iraola As Search For Stability Continues

• Chelsea are considering both Xabi Alonso and Andoni Iraola as part of their managerial search following Liam Rosenior’s dismissal.
• Club sources insist there is no clear favourite yet, with the ownership group and sporting directors still debating options.
• Chelsea’s poor league form has increased pressure on the next appointment, with European qualification now under serious threat.

Chelsea’s search for another new manager has begun with uncertainty, internal discussion and familiar questions about direction.

Sources have told ESPN that both Xabi Alonso and Andoni Iraola are firmly under consideration as the club weighs up who should become the next permanent head coach at Stamford Bridge. Yet despite the high-profile names involved, there is still no established front runner.

That alone says plenty about where Chelsea currently are.

The club’s hierarchy are understood to be leaning towards appointing a more experienced figure than their previous two managerial hires, though the process remains fluid. Decision-making is spread across Chelsea’s ownership structure and sporting department, meaning consensus has not yet been reached between the five sporting directors and co-owners overseeing football operations.

It is another pivotal summer for a club that has spent the past three years searching for continuity and rarely finding it.

Liam Rosenior became the latest casualty in April after lasting less than four months in the role despite signing a five-and-a-half-year contract upon arrival. Calum McFarlane has again stepped in as interim manager until the end of the campaign, repeating the temporary role he held earlier this year between Enzo Maresca’s departure and Rosenior’s appointment.

Chelsea’s revolving door has become one of the defining features of the BlueCo era.

Since taking control in 2022, the ownership group has appointed four permanent managers. None, aside from Maresca’s relatively modest 18-month spell, has been able to establish long-term authority. Graham Potter, Mauricio Pochettino and Rosenior all departed within a year.

Now Chelsea face another decision that could shape the next phase of the project.

Alonso’s availability naturally attracts attention. The former Liverpool, Real Madrid and Spain midfielder left Real Madrid in January after a difficult spell at the Bernabéu, where tensions reportedly developed behind the scenes despite his glittering reputation as a player. Before that, Alonso’s coaching stock had soared after guiding Bayer Leverkusen to a historic Bundesliga title in 2023-24.

Even after his Madrid setback, there remains a strong sense around European football that Alonso’s managerial story is only beginning.

Iraola, meanwhile, has enhanced his reputation significantly during his time at Bournemouth. The 43-year-old confirmed earlier this spring that he intends to leave the south coast club when his contract expires at the end of the season, immediately placing him on the radar of several clubs across Europe.

His aggressive style, tactical clarity and ability to improve players have drawn admiration throughout the Premier League.

Chelsea’s interest in both men reflects a wider dilemma facing the club. Do they pursue a coach with elite pedigree and star power in Alonso, or a manager like Iraola whose Premier League work has steadily built credibility through coaching detail and structure?

For now, no decision has been made.

When Rosenior was dismissed last month, Chelsea released a statement promising “a process of self-reflection to make the right long-term appointment.” Those words now carry significant weight.

The club’s league position only sharpens the urgency. Chelsea have slipped badly in recent weeks and face a growing possibility of missing out on European football altogether next season.

They sit 10 points behind Bournemouth in the race for Champions League qualification and remain four adrift of Brighton in the battle for a Conference League spot.

For a club built to compete among Europe’s elite, the margin for error is shrinking quickly.

WRITTEN BY

Hailey

Hailey Russell is a football journalist and former Division 1 collegiate athlete in the United States, bringing a unique blend of elite playing experience and professional insight to her work. Currently competing at the professional level in Europe, Hailey combines first-hand knowledge of the modern game with sharp analysis across match reports, player development, and tactical breakdowns.

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