Chelsea are scrambling to get their new permanent head coach in place, with ex-Real Madrid boss Xabi Alonso the clear favourite to get the job. The Blues are said to want to get the deal done soon after Saturday’s FA Cup final against Manchester City at Wembley.
The 44-year-old Spaniard left the Santiago Bernabeu in January and has emerged as the leading candidate on a shortlist of around six names being considered by the West London hierarchy. Andoni Iraola, Marco Silva, Oliver Glasner, and Filipe Luis are among those reported to be in the running for the Stamford Bridge hotseat.
The appointment could be confirmed after the Wembley showpiece, reports claim. Chelsea have deliberately suspended their recruitment to concentrate on the cup final, but once the dust settles in north-west London, the executive agenda will turn entirely to managerial matters.
Crucially, BlueCo are said to be willing to relax their notoriously hardline stance on transfer power to get their man. Alonso has been asking for assurances that he will be considered an equal partner in identifying and signing players, and the Blues hierarchy appears ready to grant his wish.
Hasselbaink: Chelsea Should Let Alonso Take Charge At Stamford Bridge
Former Chelsea striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has had his say on the potential appointment, urging BlueCo hierarchy to give the freedom Alonso needs to flourish. The Dutchman likened it to the sort of authority Pep Guardiola has been given across Manchester:
“If Chelsea choose him, you have to give him the keys. I’ve always said that whoever you choose, you have to give them the keys and the players need to know that he is the decision-maker.”
Liam Rosenior was the last man out, lasting only 106 days as Chelsea boss after Enzo Maresca was sacked in January. Mauricio Pochettino has previously admitted he only made two signings of his own during his entire spell at the club.
If Alonso signs, then the Blues have to end their recent practice of strangling their managers with off-pitch interference. The Spaniard’s tactical pedigree, cultivated during his trophy-laden stint with Bayer Leverkusen, requires a working environment engineered for long-term success.