There is one crucial difference compared to his predecessors. That is why Xabi Alonso is heading for more drama at Chelsea FC

While Alonso's four-year contract, running until 2030, undoubtedly includes a generous salary, a telling detail in Chelsea's official announcement hints at what mattered most to the new boss. While Chelsea introduced his immediate predecessors, Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior, as "Head Coach", the club calls Alonso "Manager". That distinction may seem minor, but it carries significant weight in daily operations.

As "Manager", Alonso now wields greater authority, especially over squad selection and transfer policy, than his immediate predecessors. Reports suggest he did not demand this title; instead, it reflects a strategic shift at BlueCo, the consortium that took control of Chelsea in 2022. By combining managerial and sporting-director responsibilities, Alonso can now shape Chelsea's long-term future more sustainably. That implies the club may show more patience, giving him time to build a genuinely formidable squad from the ground up.

Maresca, who arrived in summer 2024 to great fanfare, ultimately did not receive that patience from Chelsea's owners. The Italian had guided the club back into the Champions League with a fourth-place finish the previous season, won the Club World Cup, and, at the time of his departure around the turn of 2025/26, was still in fifth place—a position now beyond Chelsea's reach.

Maresca still had to leave, so just over four months ago Chelsea began planning a new, potentially lengthy project. In early January they quickly appointed Liam Rosenior—who had enjoyed great success with fellow BlueCo club Racing Strasbourg in France—as Maresca's successor. "This is a club with a unique spirit and a proud history full of title wins. My job is to protect that identity and build a team that embodies those values in every game and continues to win trophies," Rosenior stated on his appointment.

Yet building a team—a task Alonso is now also pursuing—proved impossible for Rosenior. The 41-year-old lasted just three and a half months: after a promising start, a swift downturn ended his tenure. Seven defeats in eight matches prompted Chelsea to pull the plug at the end of April, despite having given him a contract until 2032. His downfall was partly attributed to a failure to win over several high-profile players, with some in the dressing room reportedly refusing to take him seriously.

That same dynamic ultimately undermined Alonso's brief reign at Real Madrid. After a highly successful spell at Bayer Leverkusen, the 44-year-old moved to Los Blancos last summer, one of the clubs where he had previously played. He was expected to shape an era at the Bernabéu, but ultimately lasted just over six months. Months before his dismissal, reports suggested that his methods had alienated several stars; Vinicius Junior, Jude Bellingham and others appeared to tune out his messages despite his reputation. Those rifts in team dynamics undermined the prospects of sustained success; Alonso reportedly labelled his squad a "nursery" because of the constant infighting.

Could a similar fate await Alonso at Chelsea? Roseniors' short tenure hints at trouble, yet the Blues are betting on Alonso's aura—bolstered by his playing career and Leverkusen's title success—to win over Cole Palmer and Co. The club's four-year surveillance of Alonso underscores their conviction, and his Leverkusen success has long made him the fans' "dream manager".

Another factor that makes it entirely understandable why Alonso sees potential at Chelsea is the undoubted quality already present. With Enzo Fernández and Moises Caicedo, the Blues boast two of the world's best central midfielders, while Cole Palmer supplies creative brilliance. Up front, highly rated talents such as Estevao and Jamie Gittens add pace and promise, while Jorrel Hato provides defensive solidity and Levi Colwill, sidelined by a cruciate ligament injury, remains poised for stardom.

Alonso's coaching could help these individuals progress and, through his tactical know-how, turn them into a unit capable of challenging for major honours in England and Europe. A few tweaks are still needed, most pressingly the long-overdue signing of a top-class goalkeeper and more support for Joao Pedro up front so he can become a more reliable goalscorer.

Alonso will have studied Chelsea's situation closely before accepting this mammoth task; had events gone differently, the Liverpool job that went to Arne Slot might have been his. At Anfield, where he became a club icon during his playing days, one of his three dream destinations (Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Liverpool) would have been on the cards after his time in Leverkusen. However, the chaos at Real may have prompted him to reconsider and instead pick a club with no personal history, where failure would carry less emotional risk.

From a purely objective perspective, the bold move to Chelsea carries significant risk for the former world-class midfielder's coaching career, which began so brightly. Should Alonso stumble at his second major European club, his reputation would suffer its first lasting blow. In that light, he is clearly rolling the dice—especially since the challenges at Stamford Bridge look immense.

The English club's bloated squad, laden with numerous XXL contracts, currently lacks clear structure and appears almost haphazardly assembled. Alonso's first task is to clear the decks: he must spell out who stays and who goes. He also needs to establish a clearer hierarchy and, amid all the youthful exuberance, add a dash more experience. It is no coincidence that reports already suggest Alonso plans to sign players with proven winners' mentality during his first transfer window.

As is well known, Chelsea has the financial firepower for a large-scale overhaul. The Blues will look to leverage Alonso's reputation in the transfer market, enticing coveted targets with the career-boosting development he can provide. That selling point is crucial, because the club's tenth-placed finish rules out Champions League football next term and even European participation is far from certain.

The real test will be the club's patience if early setbacks occur: will Alonso, unlike his short-lived predecessors, be granted the time needed to implement his vision? Since Thomas Tuchel's departure three and a half years ago, Chelsea have burned through five managers—Graham Potter, Mauricio Pochettino and, most recently, Rosenior—all of whom failed to make a lasting impact. Antonio Conte, who lasted two years from 2016 to 2018, remains the last Blues boss to stay in the job for more than 18 months.

"It was clear from my discussions with the owners and the sporting management that we share the same ambitions," Alonso emphasised. From 1 July, he will do everything in his power to ensure that the risk he is taking in London pays off. The line between a bold decision and a wrong choice is a fine one.