Chelsea hired Xabi Alonso as its latest coach on a four-year deal on Sunday, with the Spaniard making his return to management after a disappointing eight-month spell at Real Madrid. Alonso will formally take charge on July 1 as the replacement for Liam Rosenior, who was fired last month, and will become the fifth permanent coach appointed by Chelsea's American owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital since they bought the club in 2022. Alonso lasted eight months at Madrid before leaving the club by mutual consent in January after poor results and widespread media reports that he lost control of the locker room.

That damaged his strong reputation built at Bayer Leverkusen, which he led to the German title and an unbeaten domestic campaign in the 2023-24 season. Chelsea described Alonso as "one of the most respected figures in the modern game."