Xabi Alonso still waiting for Liverpool job despite Chelsea interest – Report | OneFootball

Xabi Alonso Liverpool Preference Adds Pressure on Arne Slot

Xabi Alonso’s next move has become one of the most intriguing managerial stories in European football, with Chelsea keen to appoint him but Liverpool lingering in the background.

According to iNews, Chelsea view Alonso as their leading candidate, with one source stating: “The job is his if he wants it.”

That is a significant line. Chelsea are not merely sounding out options, they appear ready to move decisively. Yet Alonso’s hesitation tells its own story. The report claims he would favour Liverpool if the situation at Anfield were to change, despite the current expectation that Arne Slot remains in place.

Liverpool Factor Shapes Chelsea Talks

Chelsea’s interest is serious, with Marco Silva and Andoni Iraola also admired. Yet Alonso is the standout name, helped by his work at Bayer Leverkusen and Real Madrid.

iNews reports that Chelsea and Alonso’s representatives have been in contact for weeks, while the Stamford Bridge hierarchy want a new manager installed before the World Cup.

Photo: IMAGO

One source summed up the delay clearly, saying Alonso would have “taken the Chelsea job by now if Liverpool was not still in his thinking”.

For Liverpool, that sentence carries weight. Alonso remains emotionally linked to Anfield, not only because of his playing career, but because his coaching rise has long made him an obvious future candidate.

Slot Pressure Builds at Anfield

Arne Slot’s position is complicated. He won the Premier League title in his debut season, which gives him enormous credit inside the club. Yet this campaign has created frustration, with Liverpool sitting fourth despite major summer spending.

The iNews report notes that “A growing number of Liverpool supporters have called for Slot to be sacked” after a season that has shifted from champions’ momentum to Champions League anxiety.

The boos after the Chelsea draw at Anfield underlined the mood. It was not simply a reaction to one result, but a wider concern around performances, recruitment, attacking structure and whether Slot can rebuild quickly enough.

Summer Rebuild Could Define Liverpool Direction

Liverpool’s hierarchy are understood to be willing to give Slot more time. That is understandable given last season’s title success. Yet Mohamed Salah’s departure changes everything.

A major rebuild is coming, and the question is whether Slot is the man to lead it. Alonso, according to iNews, is not deterred by the scale of the Liverpool task or Chelsea’s political complexities.

That matters. Elite coaches often want control, clarity and timing. Alonso may see Liverpool as a project with emotional pull, structural strength and immediate pressure. Chelsea can offer ambition, money and a huge stage, but Liverpool offers legacy.

For now, Chelsea are waiting, Alonso is thinking, and Liverpool are trying to hold their nerve. That triangle could shape the managerial market.

Our View – Anfield Index Analysis

From a Liverpool supporter’s perspective, this report is fascinating and slightly dangerous. Hopeful fans will naturally look at Alonso and imagine a return that feels almost written in the stars. He understands the club, he carries authority, and his coaching record already suggests a manager capable of building something modern and powerful.

That said, Slot deserves some balance. Winning the Premier League in his first season was remarkable, and no serious fan should pretend that achievement disappears because this campaign has become difficult. Liverpool are still fourth, still in the Champions League race, and still a club with elite infrastructure.

Yet the concern is real. The football has often lacked rhythm, Salah’s exit demands a new attacking identity, and last summer’s spending has increased expectations rather than reduced patience.

Alonso waiting for Liverpool tells supporters something important. The job still carries huge pull. Even with pressure, scrutiny and squad uncertainty, Anfield remains a destination that elite coaches admire.

The ideal outcome? Slot rediscovers clarity, Liverpool finish strongly, and the club make ruthless, intelligent summer decisions. But if the hierarchy lose faith, Alonso’s interest should not be ignored. This could become one of those defining Liverpool crossroads.