Over the past three days, there has been plenty of talk regarding Xabi Alonso and Chelsea. The situation seems to have moved forward. The Spaniard is now widely viewed as the top choice of the Blues hierarchy. That being said, journalists have continued to maintain that nothing has been done yet. And as long as it becomes official, which might be some distance away, an appointment cannot be taken for granted.
The Liverpool situation is still not clear. It has been maintained that the Reds will continue with Arne Slot. But there is still a possibility that they could miss out on Champions League football. Will it still be the case if that happens, especially a large section of their fanbase already keen to see a change?
So, one needs to be wary. That being said, the positive updates continue to come out regarding tha Alonso to Chelsea situation. According to a report from The Guardian, there is a growing sense within the industry that a deal will be agreed.
Chelsea’s transfer plans under Xabi Alonso
Also, there is an update regarding how things could look when it comes to transfers under the Spaniard, if appointed. The same report states that the recruitment structure is not about to change. But at the same time, there is a recognition that someone of Alonso’s stature must be listened to when it comes to making signings. There would be zero desire on Chelsea’s part to impose players on him.
So, the positivity keeps growing when it comes to this Alonso saga. At this point, it would come as a bit of a surprise if the appointment does not happen.
Personally, the only way I see this failing is if the club are not able to agree on a deal with Alonso’s camp or if Liverpool do end up sacking Slot after this season.
There has to be some positivity at Chelsea that Alonso can be convinced
Considering the amount of rumours doing the rounds, there has to be some confidence on the part of Chelsea that a deal can be pulled off. In the past, we have seen speculation shut down immediately when a move was not on the cards. The Antoine Semenyo story in January, for example.
As for the second, that depends on Liverpool. All signs indicate that they will stick with Slot if Champions League qualification is secured.
Slot himself has admitted that he expects to continue as Liverpool manager next season. He has also confirmed that he is involved in the club’s transfer planning for the summer.
Sourav Mahanty
Sourav Mahanty has covered teams like Chelsea, Celtic, Real Madrid, Manchester United, PSG and more over a career that has now lasted a decade. His work has been featured on Sports Illustrated, Athlon Sports, SB Nation, FanSided, The Sportster and aggregated through Bleacher Report and NewsNow. Outside of football, he is also interested in basketball, cricket and professional wrestling.
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