Liverpool have been handed a significant lift in their long-term pursuit of seeing Xabi Alonso take charge at Anfield, even as speculation mounted about the Spaniard potentially joining Chelsea’s managerial project.
The Reds have struggled badly under Arne Slot this season, standing just one defeat away from setting a new club record for the most losses in a single campaign in the 21st century.
With Slot now expected to remain at the club for the foreseeable future, Alonso’s possible move to Chelsea would almost certainly have closed the door on any Merseyside return for the Spaniard next season, should Liverpool’s faith in Slot ultimately prove misplaced.
According to transfer market specialist Gianluca Di Marzio, speaking to AceOdds, Xabi Alonso is highly unlikely to accept Chelsea’s offer to become their next head coach.
The Spaniard’s past experience at a club widely considered dysfunctional worked to his disadvantage, with his exit from Real Madrid increasingly seen as being due to circumstances beyond his control.
Di Marzio also suggested that Alonso might be closely observing Enzo Maresca’s situation at Chelsea, as the club’s internal structure at Stamford Bridge is reportedly as chaotic as ever.
Speaking to AceOdds, Di Marzio said: “I really don't think that Xabi Alonso can or will accept an offer from Chelsea, because he knows what happened to Enzo Maresca when he was the manager.”
He added: “He knows that the board wants to have influence on the decisions, which normally is up to the manager. They want to decide which players should be substituted during a match and all that stuff, which Alonso can't accept at all.”
Such a description would certainly raise concern for Alonso, especially given that Real Madrid were often criticised for allowing senior executives too much say in matchday decisions, including substitutions.
Alonso, who guided Bayer Leverkusen to an unprecedented treble and an unbeaten Bundesliga campaign in 2023/24, is widely expected to be one of the most sought-after managers in Europe ahead of the next season.
Should Liverpool find themselves needing to reassess Slot’s leadership early in the 2026/27 season, it would be ideal for the club if Alonso remained unattached at that time.
At present, the club most strongly linked with hiring the Spanish tactician now appears unlikely to follow through, a development that will certainly encourage Liverpool supporters who already view Slot’s position as precarious.
Slot’s struggling Liverpool side, who were held to a 1-1 draw by Chelsea at Anfield last weekend, will resume their Premier League campaign on Friday evening with a clash against Aston Villa.
