Chelsea has made contact with Xabi Alonso over becoming the next head coach, and Liverpool has made it clear that it will stick with Arne Slot despite fan backlash
19:59, 11 May 2026Updated 20:17, 11 May 2026
Liverpool has never considered Xabi Alonso and fully intends to move forward with Arne Slot
Liverpool has never considered Xabi Alonso and fully intends to move forward with Arne Slot(Image: Paul ELLIS / AFP via Getty Images)
Xabi Alonso has not been under consideration as the next head coach at Liverpool, and the club intends to support Arne Slot despite the damning boos during Saturday's 1-1 draw against Chelsea at Anfield.
Slot faced vicious boos at Anfield on two separate occasions against Chelsea, as fans continue to share frustrations with the head coach. The first negative reaction came when Slot substituted Rio Ngumoha, and the second came at full-time as the game ended 1-1.
Liverpool failed to beat a Chelsea side led by interim head coach Callum McFarlane, who is standing in for Liam Rosenior, who was fired. Xabi Alonso is the frontrunner to become the new Chelsea head coach, handing Liverpool fans a nightmare situation as their former star could help rebuild their Premier League rivals.
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That's according to David Ornstein, who discussed the latest news on Chelsea's pursuit of Alonso. Ornstein spoke on NBC Sports before Tottenham hosted Leeds United on Monday.
"My information is that Xabi Alonso is not under consideration at Liverpool at all and that Liverpool fully intend to go into next season with Arne Slot as their head coach," he said.
The update comes after multiple reports confirmed that Chelsea had made Alonso its top target and had made contact. Positive talks have continued, and Alonso is open to a Premier League move this summer.
Xabi Alonso has emerged as the frontrunner to land the Chelsea job
Xabi Alonso has emerged as the frontrunner to land the Chelsea job(Image: Getty Images)
Alonso was previously seen as Slot's successor at Liverpool, and the head coach has a complicated relationship with the fans. Slot may have led Liverpool to its second Premier League title in 2024-25, but the team has struggled this season.
Succeeding Jurgen Klopp was an almost impossible task for any aspiring Liverpool coach, but the German did his best to welcome Slot and get the fans on his side when leaving the club. When Slot led Liverpool to the title in his first season, fans were delighted.
However, an unprecedented summer transfer window followed, as the $600 million spent was extremely out of character for Liverpool. While approximately $350 million was recouped from player sales, all new signings, other than Hugo Ekitike, have struggled to hit the ground running.
The dip in form has led to a trophyless season for Liverpool, though the club is on the verge of qualifying for the Champions League next year. The style of play has also been questioned, and Slot's public fallout with Mohamed Salah also turned fans against him.
After persistently benching Salah, the Egyptian called out Slot and said that he'd been thrown under the bus. The incident occurred before Salah left for the Africa Cup of Nations, but he was welcomed back into the team upon his return.
Salah then announced that he would leave Liverpool at the end of this season, after mutually agreeing to cancel the final year of his deal.
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