With Liam Rosenior now gone, Chelsea have some time to take stock of the ridiculous situation they are in. Truthfully, senior figures at Stamford Bridge have got things terribly wrong.
After Enzo Maresca walked away despite winning the Club World Cup, they have arguably been in dire straits ever since.
But it’s all their own doing. They decided to hire Rosenior, who, despite impressing at Strasbourg, was wildly underqualified for the role as Chelsea manager.
How did it end? Rather predictably. After losing five straight Premier League games without even scoring, he was given his marching orders and replaced on a caretaker basis until the end of the season by Calum McFarlane.
Chelsea’s dream manager target revealed
McFarlane’s short tenure did not exactly start in an enthralling manner but regardless, a win is a win and Chelsea have a genuine shot at ending the season with some silverware.
A 1-0 victory over Leeds was enough to seal a place in the FA Cup final where they will take on Manchester City. Remarkably, they have not beaten them since the Champions League final in May 2021.
As it happens, that will be the caretaker’s final match in charge before, ideally, BlueCo hire a permanent replacement before the World Cup.
A whole number of names have been linked with reports over the weekend suggesting that Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola is keen on getting the job if he stays in the Premier League.
Cesc Fabregas has also emerged as an option, although it is thought that he could stay with Como in Italy for at least another season, particularly if they secure European football.
Perhaps an easier alternative would be Xabi Alonso. He is out of work after being sacked by Real Madrid last season and thus, would not cost a penny of compensation to bring to English football.
Caught Offside reports that the Chelsea owners have a couple of ‘blockbuster’ names on their shortlist as dream targets. One of them is Xavi and the other is another former midfield maestro in the form of Alonso.
|
Alonso at Leverkusen |
|
|---|---|
|
Matches |
140 |
|
Wins |
89 |
|
Draws |
32 |
|
Defeats |
19 |
|
Goals scored |
315 |
|
Goals conceded |
155 |
|
Points per match |
2.14 |
It’s noted that some figures within the board are craving Frank Lampard’s return while Regis Le Bris at Sunderland has been listed as a wildcard option.
Why Alonso would be better than Fabregas
The work Fabregas has done at Como has been nothing short of remarkable.
After hanging up his boots, he was given the job when they were still in Serie B. He achieved promotion out of the Italian second tier in 2023/24 and already has them vying for a place in Europe.
The Spaniard’s side currently sit fifth, just three points behind Juventus in the race for Champions League football. Celebrated as “football’s next elite manager” by some analysts, it’s abundantly clear that he’s got a massive future in the game as a manager at one of Europe’s top clubs.
That said, he still isn’t quite as proven as Mr Alonso, a man who took English, German and Spanish football by storm as a player, but someone who has now dominated as a manager too.
While Fabregas has achieved incredible things at Como, he’s yet to showcase his abilities at the very top of the game when it comes to management. Alonso – “one of the best managers in the world” in the words of Carlo Ancelotti – has done exactly that.
He may well have been sacked by Madrid, but this is a “genius tactician” in the words of Sky Sports’ Felix Fischer who has already won the Bundesliga unbeaten. It takes quite some doing to topple Bayern Munich but that’s exactly what he did with Bayer Leverkusen.
That stopped a run of 11 straight German titles. The last side to beat Bayern before Leverkusen were Dortmund back in 2011/12.
Not only that, but Alonso’s 4-2-3-1 focused side also reached the final of the Europa League that term, only to be defeated by an inspired Ademola Lookman as Atalanta reigned supreme.
Both Alonso and Fabregas take inspiration from Pep Guardiola but it’s certainly the former who has executed those practises best since becoming a head coach.
While he was still playing, the former Leverkusen boss admitted in April 2016 that “Guardiola represents my version of perfection in football.”
Well, it’s safe to say he’s followed that vision pretty perfectly since stepping into the dugout. Catalan writer Marti Perarnau told The Athletic in December 2025: “The relationship between Pep and Xabi at Bayern was very good, and very intense. They established a friendship, which extended to the families. Xabi wanted to understand Pep’s ideas and constantly asked for details to learn them. He was like a sponge, absorbing Guardiola’s ideas about the game.”
In that sense, you could say he’s a little similar to not only Fabregas but also Enzo Maresca, another disciple of Guardiola’s teachings.
Cesc will no doubt have a fantastic managerial career but it would still feel like something of a gamble after the debacle of Rosenior’s time at the Bridge. Right now, Chelsea need a safe and proven pair of hands, someone who’s won trophies, someone who idolises Pep. Alonso is that man.
The new Thomas Tuchel is now “keen” on getting the Chelsea job
Chelsea have a number of managers in their crosshairs.
