Chelsea have agreed to a four-year deal with Xabi Alonso to become the Premier League club's head coach. An official announcement is expected within the next 24 hours, potentially before Chelsea host Tottenham on Tuesday, after the Spaniard reached an agreement in principle to take charge at Stamford Bridge.
The 44-year-old previously led Bayer Leverkusen to a league and cup double in the 2023-24 season. He also managed Real Madrid but was sacked in January after less than eight months in the role.
Alonso is set to be the fifth permanent appointment under BlueCo ownership, following Graham Potter, Mauricio Pochettino, Enzo Maresca, and Liam Rosenior. Rosenior was sacked in April after three months in charge.
The appointment comes as Chelsea struggles to qualify for European competition and has slipped to ninth place in the Premier League. The team most recently suffered a 1-0 loss to Manchester City in the FA Cup final on Saturday.