Chelsea have held encouraging discussions over a move for Xabi Alonso and are closely monitoring Andoni Iraola’s situation as the club steps up its search for a permanent head coach. Alonso and Iraola have emerged as the top picks, but Chelsea are not expected to rush a final decision on who to appoint.
The 44-year-old Alonso has been out of work since leaving Real Madrid earlier this season, and Chelsea have been on his radar for at least three years. The club have also met Iraola to talk to him about the role, while the Bournemouth manager has held talks with Manchester United as well.
Chelsea’s list has not stopped with those two. Marco Silva, Oliver Glasner and Filipe Luís have also been looked at, with Silva out of contract at the end of the season and Glasner due to leave Crystal Palace after the Conference League final later this month. Chelsea are confident they can attract their favoured candidate, even with the market still moving around them.
That interest is playing out against a crowded backdrop. Chelsea are searching for a permanent head coach after a run of managerial changes, and their recruitment department has already acknowledged the team needs to become more physical. Iraola’s Bournemouth side have been one of the most intense in the Premier League, which helps explain why he has stayed high on Chelsea’s list.
Bournemouth are four points off the top five with two games left, and six points clear of Chelsea, which underlines how strong Iraola’s work has been this season. Chelsea’s current setup is still temporary: Calum McFarlane will be in the dugout when they face Manchester City in the FA Cup final on Saturday after last month’s dismissal of Liam Rosenior and his appointment as interim head coach until the end of the season.
The timing leaves Chelsea with a choice to make, but not an immediate one. The club wants the right fit more than a quick announcement, and the fact that both Alonso and Iraola are already in detailed view suggests the final call will come from ambition as much as urgency.
