What Will Xabi Alonso Change At Chelsea?

BusinessSportsMoneyWhat Will Xabi Alonso Change At Chelsea?ByGraham Ruthven,Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I am a soccer writer based in the United KingdomFollow AuthorJun 06, 2026, 08:14am EDTReal Madrid's Spanish coach Xabi Alonso reacts during the Spanish Super Cup final football match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid at the King Abdullah Stadium in Jeddah on January 11, 2026. (Photo by Fadel SENNA / AFP via Getty Images)AFP via Getty ImagesLast season was a big disappointment for Chelsea. While the Blues entered the 2025/26 campaign with high hopes after lifting the Club World Cup, the team failed to live up to expectations, floundering in the Premier League and going through three different managers in the space of only a few months.Now, though, there is optimism that Xabi Alonso might be the man to turn things around. The Spaniard has agreed to take over this summer and will have more freedom than any of his predecessors to mould the Chelsea team in his own image. Joao Pedro of Chelsea FC expresses disappointment during the UEFA Champions League football match between Atalanta BC and Chelsea FC in Bergamo, Italy, on December 9, 2025, at New Balance Arena. (Photo by Emanuele Comincini/NurPhoto via Getty Images)NurPhoto via Getty ImagesThat the Blues have managed to attract Alonso was surprising in the first place. The former midfielder had been strongly linked with Liverpool, a club he used to play for in his playing days. By the time Liverpool made its own managerial change, though, replacing Arne Slot with Andoni Iraola, Alonso was off the market. He’d already signed for Chelsea.One might wonder why Alonso has taken a job with such a volatile club. Chelsea has spent a lot in the transfer market in recent times, but with no coherent strategy or plan. Every time the team on the pitch has taken a step forwards, it has been immediately followed by one, sometimes two, backwards.MORE FOR YOUTactic...