Chelsea have reached an agreement with Basque tactician Xabi Alonso to become their next head coach, filling the void left by the sacking of Liam Rosenior.
According to Fabrizio Romano, the Blues have struck a four-year deal which would see the highly-rated Spaniard make Stamford Bridge his home for at least the next four years.
As Pulse Sports reported, the London club’s hierarchy had a clear intention to wait and finalise the final details of the deal immediately following the conclusion of the FA Cup final.
Following a narrow 1-0 defeat to Manchester City at Wembley Stadium, a result that condemned Chelsea to end the domestic campaign without silverware, the board moved swiftly to wrap up negotiations.
Alonso reportedly agreed to a four-year contract is notably much shorter than the lengthy, guaranteed deals previously handed to former head coaches Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior.
This shift in contract length suggests the club’s ownership has finally learned a valuable financial lesson regarding long-term managerial commitments, especially as it means a sizeable severance package has to be paid should they part ways before the deal expires.
Furthermore, Alonso is fully expected to be heavily involved in Chelsea’s summer transfer dealings.
The 44-year-old tactician’s availability is a direct result of his mid-season dismissal from Real Madrid. Alonso was abruptly sacked by the Spanish giants in January, following a falling out with key influential members of the dressing room, most notably Brazilian winger Vinícius Júnior.
Before Chelsea accelerated their pursuit, Alonso was linked with a sensational return to Anfield to take the reins at Liverpool, with the Merseyside club reportedly even contacting Real Madrid directly to inquire about his time at the club.
By successfully fending off that lingering interest from their Premier League rivals, Chelsea have secured a high-profile manager who boasts a proven pedigree, having famously led Bayer Leverkusen to an unprecedented, invincible domestic double prior to his turbulent stint in the Spanish capital.
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