Chelsea’s search for a new manager has seen the Blues strongly linked with appointing Xabi Alonso as Liam Rosenior’s permanent replacement, and Fernando Torres’ prediction will excite fans.
For now, Alonso is the leading candidate to take over as Chelsea manager at the end of the season. There are alternatives too, with Andoni Iraola, Marco Silva, Filipe Luis, Cesc Fabregas and Oliver Glasner linked.
Xabi Alonso just screams Chelsea manager 😍
Xabi Alonso quote
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Interestingly, Chelsea are dealing with the same agent when it comes to both Iraola and Alonso. The duo are top of BlueCo’s shortlist, and Alonso is supposedly keen to take over at Chelsea, if reports are true.
With Liverpool refusing to sack Arne Slot, Alonso’s hopes of taking over at Liverpool are over and unless he takes a year out, as Guillem Balague suggests, Alonso could well become the next Chelsea manager.
What Fernando Torres has said about Xabi Alonso
Not many players play for both Chelsea and Liverpool. Steven Gerrard came close at one stage, but the most high-profile to turn out for both is likely to be Fernando Torres, joining Chelsea in 2011 for £50m.
Now retired, Torres spoke to the Liverpool Echo about his old teammate Alonso in 2024 and predicted his fellow countryman to become one of the world’s best managers, having starred in charge of Leverkusen.
Bayer Leverkusen's Spanish coach Xabi Alonso claps
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“I think he’s doing great, a fantastic player, and he is already a fantastic manager. He’s a really nice guy, I’ve got a nice friendship with him. I hope for him all the best,” the ex-Liverpool and Chelsea man said.
“In the Sociedad academy, he is doing really good things; he has become one of the best managers in the world. He’s having a fantastic season, not losing a single game, and the future is bright for him.”
Xabi Alonso’s win rate as a manager at all three clubs
So far, Alonso has managed three different sides. Real Sociedad’s B team, followed by his stunning stint in Germany with Bayer Leverkusen in which he pipped his old playing side to the Bundesliga title.
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Then, his short-lived spell as Madrid manager, which lasted just 34 matches and saw Alonso win 24 times. Madrid’s best players are said to have turned on him, something which was denied by Thibaut Courtois.
That is a 70% win rate as Madrid manager, while he won 88 of 140 games as Leverkusen boss, around 63%. In total, he has managed 272 matches and won 155 games – a rate of more than one every two.
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