Alonso begins Chelsea managerial role
Xabi Alonso has arrived at Chelsea's Cobham training ground to officially take over as the club's new manager. The former Real Madrid boss was appointed in May to replace Liam Rosenior, but he has only now begun his duties at Stamford Bridge. The Spaniard was pictured arriving at the training facility on Thursday morning as players not involved in the World Cup returned for pre-season.
No European football this season
Chelsea will not compete in European competition this coming term after finishing 10th in the Premier League under a combination of Enzo Maresca, Rosenior, and interim manager Calum McFarlane. The club's focus will be on domestic success under Alonso's leadership.
Transfer activity and squad updates
Alonso has already been instrumental in Chelsea's transfer business this year. The west London club has signed full-back Marco Pelastra, while Geovany Quenda, who was signed before Alonso's arrival, was officially announced on Wednesday after completing his move from Sporting CP. Alonso is also keen on reuniting with Granit Xhaka, the Sunderland captain, though Standard Sport reported that Chelsea had a bid rejected for the Swiss international, who previously played for Arsenal and is eager to return to London.
Among the players reporting back to Cobham for pre-season is Cole Palmer, who was controversially left out of Thomas Tuchel's England squad for this summer's World Cup. Also returning is Levi Colwill, who missed out on the squad despite impressive performances after recovering from a long-term ACL injury.
Alonso's tactical approach and past success
Alonso is known for his 3-4-2-1 system, which he employed at Bayer Leverkusen. He led the Bundesliga side to their first league title in the 2023-24 season, during which they went unbeaten domestically. After leaving Leverkusen, he took charge at Real Madrid, where he played from 2009 to 2014, managing the club from 2025. He led Madrid to the semi-finals of the Club World Cup but was sacked in January following a Super Cup defeat to Barcelona.
