Liverpool opted not to move on from head coach Arne Slot this summer, with Xabi Alonso — the man many fans would have chosen — going to Chelsea to replace Liam Rosenior
19:28, 29 May 2026
Xabi Alonso during his time with Real Madrid.
Xabi Alonso during his time with Real Madrid.(Image: Irina R. Hipolito/Europa Press via Getty Images)
As soon as Xabi Alonso was fired by Real Madrid at the turn of the year, the suggestions that he could take over at Liverpool began.
A former player at Anfield and someone who excelled with Bayer Leverkusen in his previous role, the ex-Reds midfielder would have been a popular candidate had there been a vacancy. Arne Slot, though, remains in charge, with Liverpool planning to invest this summer to give him the roster he needs to get back on track next term.
Chelsea, with a few other top teams on the hunt for a new manager, spotted an opportunity. And, after ceding more power than normal to the man in the dugout, the Stamford Bridge side got its man.
"Should Xabi Alonso have held out for the Liverpool job or the Manchester City job? No, I think Chelsea is a fabulous job," Tony Pulis told Boyle Sports this week.
"It’s in London. It’s got a fantastic youth system, fantastic training facilities, and it’s got a brilliant stadium in Stamford Bridge.
"Everything about Chelsea as a football club is absolutely first class. The only thing they’re missing is results on the pitch.
"I think Xabi Alonso is probably thinking, 'It’s a good time to get into Chelsea now because people will see the difference I can make here.'"
Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso
Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso(Image: Fadel SENNA / AFP via Getty Images)
Alonso arrives with plenty to do, with Chelsea having finished 10th in the league standings. Without any European soccer, its inflated squad might need to be trimmed down, too.
"Can Xabi Alonso give Chelsea the direction they’ve been missing? They’ve jumped from stool to stool to stool and hopefully, fingers crossed for Chelsea because they’re a great club with great support, he can settle things down," Pulis continued.
"They have some very talented players there, but if they aren’t going to run around, and there’s no direction, then they’re not going to win enough games in the Premier League.
"If you have a look at Bournemouth, Brentford, and Brighton, they all have a system they play to and all their players run around.
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"They all run forward, they all run backward, and they all run hard, at the same pace every single week. I think whoever goes in at Chelsea needs to sort that football club out.
"The two things they’ve got to do is get them playing as a team, not as individuals, and they’ve got to make sure that every game they play they come off the pitch having given absolutely everything."
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Liverpool.com says: Alonso would have been waiting a while for the Reds or Manchester City, but we won't know whether he was right to take the Chelsea job until next season begins. Certainly, it is a massive risk.
Catching up with the likes of Manchester City and Arsenal could take some time, and the Chelsea hierarchy has not proven to be particularly patient before.