Xabi Alonso hands Chelsea owners an ultimatum after manager talks

The race for one of Europe’s most coveted managers has taken a dramatic turn, with it being suggested that Xabi Alonso is prepared to green-light a move to Stamford Bridge on one condition.

The race for the Chelsea dugout has reached a new point as Xabi Alonso has emerged as the clear frontrunner to succeed Liam Rosenior.

After a rollercoaster period that saw Alonso depart Real Madrid earlier this year, the Spaniard is now actively assessing a return to management.

While other names like Andoni Iraola and Marco Silva remain on the six-man shortlist, the momentum behind Alonso suggests Chelsea are ready to pull out all the stops to land the man who delivered an invincible double for Leverkusen just last year.

Xabi Alonso makes his condition clear for the Chelsea job

According to Fabrizio Romano, “Xabi Alonso has now opened doors to the Premier League and therefore, would be open to joining Chelsea if they can find a good way to go ahead together.

“Chelsea are assessing all options before deciding to go all in for their target.”

There were reports that Chelsea have held talks with Alonso and he’s now their primary target, so it depends who you believe.

But one thing that is for sure is that Liverpool sticking with Arne Slot appears to have put Chelsea in the driving seat to secure his signature.

Xabi Alonso has done it before at Bayer Leverkusen

Xabi Alonso’s time at Bayer Leverkusen is the benchmark for transformation. When he arrived in October 2022, the club was languishing in 17th place, mired in their worst start to a season in decades. Without the distraction of European football to drain his squad’s energy, Alonso utilised the additional time on the training pitch to instill his tactical identity.

He immediately stabilised a leaking defense, shifting to a structured back-three that prioritised control and transition speed.

The results were instantaneous. Alonso didn’t just steer Leverkusen away from a relegation battle; he galvanised a demoralised group into delivering the club’s first Bundesliga title and a DFB-Pokal trophy.

from Chelsea FC Latest News & Club Updates | The Chelsea Chronicle https://ift.tt/rykF6h3