Owner u-turn: Xabi Alonso hiring push underway after jaw-dropping afternoon revelation

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Empire of the Kop

·11 maggio 2026

Owner u-turn: Xabi Alonso hiring push underway after jaw-dropping afternoon revelation

Chelsea’s ownership may be prepared to grant Xabi Alonso greater powers of control behind the scenes at the club.

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Mark Douglas reports for the iPaper that the former Real Madrid head coach could be tempted to take over the vacant head coach position at Stamford Bridge.

Though this would hinge on the Blues abandoning the strategy and balance of power favoured during the reigns of Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior.

Chelsea to tempt Xabi Alonso to Premier League return

There are a lot of things we can forgive as Liverpool fans.

But allowing an absolute shambles of a club like Chelsea to steal a march on the pursuit of free agent Alonso ahead of the summer is not one of them.

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With Arne Slot’s time at Anfield surely up, this should be an absolute slam dunk for decision-makers at Anfield.

The Spaniard is a rising force in management – we’ll insist on that point despite what some perceive to be a failed spell at Real Madrid – and would clearly jump at the opportunity to take the reins at Liverpool.

We know it, you know it, Fenway Sports Group know it, Michael Edwards knows it, and Richard Hughes knows it.

Yet, it seems like Chelsea are the only club prepared to actively woo Xabi Alonso, potentially offering greater control over recruitment ahead of the impending summer transfer window.

Liverpool are steering themselves to obscurity under Arne Slot

To be totally fair to Chelsea, it’s not like Liverpool are miles better at this point in time.

If we’re to achieve Champions League football for the following season – it will be very much in spite of Arne Slot rather than because of the former AZ Alkmaar’s boss’s efforts. Not to mention, thanks in large part to the fact that our competition in and around the top five has been pretty inconsistent this season.

With a critical summer ahead – in which Liverpool must sign rapid, quality wingers on both flanks – we can’t afford to keep the same man in the dugout for 2026/27.

What if we gamble on Slot only for the Reds’ troubles this term to carry on over into the next one? And if we’re all being honest with ourselves, that’s a distinct likelihood.

Signing Yan Diomande and Bradley Barcola won’t change the fact that the head coach has sucked the life out of this Liverpool side and lacks a concrete tactical plan.

Keep this up, and we’ll be lucky to bring in Sean Dyche, never mind a manager of Xabi Alonso’s calibre.