Chelsea have appointed Xabi Alonso on a four-year contract that begins on July 1, 2026, the report says, a rapid move that followed the club’s decision to sack Liam Rosenior last month, according to ESPN’s Mark Ogden and Alex Kirkland.
The appointment comes after a troubled spell at Real Madrid, where Alonso lasted 233 days at the Bernabéu. ESPN’s reporting identifies a deterioration in relationships with key players as the overriding factor behind his dismissal, singling out Vinícius Júnior, Jude Bellingham and Federico Valverde as stars who had not bought into his methods.
Details cited by the report show friction with Vinícius emerging early, after Alonso experimented with playing him on the right wing and planned to drop him for a Club World Cup semifinal against Paris Saint-Germain before an injury forced a reshuffle. Alonso left Vinícius out of the team on several occasions when the winger was fully fit, and a public flashpoint came when Vinícius was substituted in the October Clásico with Barcelona and reacted by shouting “I’ll leave, shall I?” as he left the pitch, per ESPN. Sources close to the player told the report that Alonso became a major roadblock to Vinícius renewing a contract that expires in 2027.
Valverde is described in the report as unhappy at being played out of position, telling media on a Champions League trip to Kairat Almaty, “I wasn’t born to play right back,” and being seen warming up on the touchline with little apparent enthusiasm when left out. Alonso’s planned role for Bellingham, which prioritized positional efficiency, contrasted with the midfielder’s previous freedom; Alonso was quoted saying, “I want [Bellingham] to be as efficient as possible” and that “Jude has the capacity to cover a lot of ground, but he has to start in the right place.” Bellingham dismissed reports of unrest as “fabricated or exaggerated,” and Alonso was sacked four days later.
The report also details doubts at executive level, with president Florentino Pérez concerned about a lack of experience even though José Ángel Sánchez had championed Alonso’s appointment. ESPN says Alonso was aware of those doubts and that he did not receive unequivocal backing during crises, with behind-the-scenes criticism of his decision-making, concerns over fitness and injuries, and some regret among senior figures that the club had not acted sooner when he was dismissed in January.
