Chelsea have officially welcomed Xabi Alonso as the club’s new head coach, with the Spaniard resuming duties at Cobham following his appointment in May.
The 44-year-old arrives at Stamford Bridge after successful managerial spells with Bayer Leverkusen and Real Madrid, replacing Liam Rosenior, who was dismissed at the end of last season.
Chelsea are banking on Alonso’s tactical expertise and winning pedigree to revive the club’s fortunes after a disappointing 2025/26 campaign, which saw the Blues finish 10th in the Premier League and miss out on European qualification.
Announcing his arrival on Thursday, Chelsea shared a video of Alonso at the club’s Cobham training ground alongside the messages: “Xabi Alonso arrives at Cobham,” “This is where it starts,” and “A new chapter awaits.”
Alonso is no stranger to Stamford Bridge. During his playing days with Liverpool, he enjoyed memorable moments against Chelsea, including scoring the decisive goal in a 1-0 Premier League victory that ended the Blues’ remarkable 86-match unbeaten home league run. He also converted a penalty in the thrilling 4-4 UEFA Champions League quarter-final second-leg draw between the two sides in 2009.
The former Spain international is expected to remain in charge of Chelsea until the summer of 2030, with the club hoping he can restore them to domestic and European contention.
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