Chelsea appointed Xabi Alonso as manager with a four-year contract commencing next season.
The Spaniard is returning to coaching after a brief, challenging period at Real Madrid and is expected to restore stability to a club that has struggled under its new American ownership.
Alonso will officially assume control on 1 July as the successor to Liam Rosenior, who was dismissed last month, and will be the fifth permanent coach selected by Chelsea owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital since their acquisition of the Premier League club in 2022.
Alonso spent only eight months at Real Madrid before departing the Spanish club by mutual agreement in January due to disappointing performance and numerous media claims that he had lost authority over a locker room plagued by conflict and discontent this season.
Prior to that, the ex-Spain midfielder established a solid reputation at Bayer Leverkusen, guiding them to the German championship and an unblemished domestic season in 2023-24, with Chelsea calling Alonso “one of the most esteemed figures in contemporary football.”
“Based on my discussions with the ownership team and sports leaders, it’s evident that we have a common goal,” Alonso stated in a Chelsea announcement.
“We aim to create a team that can regularly compete at top levels and strive for championships,” adds Alonso.
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Chelsea has not secured a domestic trophy in eight years but was crowned European champion in 2021 and surprisingly claimed the Club World Cup last summer in the United States during the tournament's newly expanded format.
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Nevertheless, Chelsea appears extremely improbable to qualify for next season's Champions League and could potentially forfeit participation in all European competitions following a significant decline in performance during the latter part of the season.
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The club secured a trophyless season by losing to Manchester City in the FA Cup final on Saturday.