Xabi Alonso isn’t the only manager on Chelsea’s radar at the moment, as two former players are being discussed internally.
Despite the mounting excitement surrounding Xabi Alonso, the race to be the next Chelsea manager remains open, with no definitive decision yet reached by the BlueCo hierarchy.
While Alonso has undoubtedly emerged as the early preferred choice following positive preliminary talks, he is currently just one of six names on a diverse shortlist. Chelsea are determined to avoid the pitfalls of recent short-lived appointments, with Marco Silva and Andoni Iraola two of the other names.
And with Chelsea aiming to have a permanent head coach in place by mid-June, the process is far from over, but it is important to give the new man a whole summer and pre-season.
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Chelsea talk about Filipe Luis and Cesc Fabregas internally
A report from The Telegraph states that Chelsea are making checks on former defender Filipe Luis, as well as Como manager Cesc Fabregas.
The Blues are also looking at Oliver Glasner, alongside the names already known in Xabi Alonso, Marco Silva and Andoni Iraola.
However, one thing that could put the Blues off Luis is the fact that his licences aren’t all in order, which could halt a potential move to Stamford Bridge.
Meanwhile, Fabregas has previously stated that he is happy in Italy.
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Chelsea need the experience of Xabi Alonso
While Filipe Luis and Cesc Fabregas are brilliant minds with deep ties to Chelsea, Xabi Alonso offers a level of managerial seasoning that the others simply cannot match. Unlike his former teammates, who are still in the early stages of their coaching journeys, Alonso has already navigated the highest pressures of European management, both at Bayer Leverkusen and Real Madrid.
Given Chelsea’s current instability and the need for immediate cultural correction, his proven ability to build a world-class tactical system from scratch is vital.
He provides a battle-tested authority that the project desperately needs to move forward.
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