• Chelsea reportedly reach agreement in principle with Xabi Alonso
• Alonso could be announced before Tuesday’s clash against Tottenham
• He would become Chelsea’s fifth permanent manager since 2022 takeover

Chelsea are reportedly on the verge of appointing former Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso as their new manager following weeks of speculation surrounding the club’s search for a permanent replacement for Liam Rosenior.

According to several media reports on Saturday, May 16, Alonso has already reached an agreement in principle with the Premier League side and could officially be unveiled before Chelsea’s clash against Tottenham on Tuesday.

Chelsea had initially planned to wait until the end of the season before naming a permanent successor to Rosenior, who was dismissed last month after a disappointing run of results.

However, the Blues appear eager to move quickly in securing Alonso’s signature as they attempt to rebuild after another frustrating campaign.

The appointment would represent a major statement from Chelsea despite the club’s recent struggles.

Their difficult season continued on Saturday, May 16, after suffering a narrow 1-0 defeat to Manchester City in the FA Cup final.

Alonso’s reputation rose significantly during his time at Bayer Leverkusen, where he guided the German club to their first-ever Bundesliga title during an unbeaten 2023/24 league campaign.

But his spell at Real Madrid was far less successful.

The Spaniard lasted only seven months at the Santiago Bernabeu before being replaced by former teammate Alvaro Arbeloa.

The 44-year-old, who previously played in England for Liverpool FC, would become Chelsea’s fifth permanent manager since BlueCo completed its takeover of the club in 2022.

Chelsea currently sit ninth in the Premier League table and face the possibility of missing out on European football next season with only two league matches remaining.

Chelsea post record £262.4m loss despite strong revenue growth

Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that Chelsea FC reported a record pre-tax loss of £262.4 million for the financial year ending 30 June 2025, marking the largest deficit ever recorded by a club in the Premier League.

The figure surpassed the previous record loss of £197.5 million set by Manchester City during the 2010/11 season. The announcement represents a sharp reversal from the previous year, when Chelsea posted a profit of £128.4 million.

The club attributed the latest losses largely to increased operating costs during the 2024/25 campaign.