New Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso wants to build the right culture

LONDON – Chelsea appointed Xabi Alonso as the English Premier League club’s (EPL) manager on May 17 on a four-year deal, with the Spaniard the latest coach tasked with turning around their fortunes.

The Blues lost the FA Cup final to Manchester City the previous day and lie ninth in the league with two games of the campaign to go.

Alonso rose to prominence as one of Europe’s brightest coaches by guiding Bayer Leverkusen to an unbeaten German league and Cup double in the 2023-24 season.

However, he lasted just seven months in the Real Madrid hot seat. Appointed in 2025, he left the Spanish giants in January.

“Chelsea Football Club is delighted to announce the appointment of Xabi Alonso as manager of the men’s team,” the club said in a statement.

“The Spaniard will begin his role on July 1, 2026, having agreed a four-year contract at Stamford Bridge.”

Alonso faces a huge task to get Chelsea back in the running for major honours.

Chelsea won the FIFA Club World Club and the UEFA Conference League in 2025 but have little else to show for after spending over £1 billion (S$1.71 billion) on players since US consortium BlueCo took over in 2022 following Russian businessman Roman Abramovich’s trophy-laden ownership of the club.

The defeat at Wembley means they have now gone eight seasons without a domestic trophy.

Fans have continuously protested against BlueCo, which has embarked on a scattergun approach to hoovering up young talent from across the globe.

That policy has secured some notable successes such as England international Cole Palmer.

But a lack of experience in the playing squad and, often in the coaching staff, has been blamed for a shortage of consistency.

Alonso becomes the sixth permanent manager to take charge at Stamford Bridge since 2021 after Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter, Mauricio Pochettino, Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior.

The 44-year-old has a point to prove after a turbulent short spell in Madrid.

Alonso’s arrival is a coup for Chelsea’s much-criticised owners.

Many Liverpool fans were desperate for him to return to Anfield, where he starred as a player between 2004 and 2009, to succeed the under-fire Arne Slot.

“Chelsea is one of the biggest clubs in world football and it fills me with immense pride to become manager of this great club,” said Alonso in a statement.

“From my conversations with the ownership group and sporting leadership, it is clear we share the same ambition. We want to build a team capable of competing consistently at the highest level and fighting for trophies.

“There is great talent in the squad and huge potential at this football club and it will be my great honour to lead it. Now the focus is on hard work, building the right culture and winning trophies.”

Sky Germany journalist Uli Kohler said appointing Alonso is the best decision that the Chelsea management have made since Abramovich, adding: “Now the headquarters is more or less guaranteeing success because the players are always good at Chelsea but the fact was that they didn’t perform as well as a team.”

But Kohler also warned that Alonso must be given “a lot of power” if the Blues management want real success.

“He is an incredible manager because he can still show players how to kick the ball. When he was doing passes – I saw him training at Leverkusen – it was incredible and it had a big impact on the team. I’ve never met any players who didn’t like him.” AFP