Just a day after their defeat in the FA Cup final against Manchester City, Chelsea officially announced their new coach for the upcoming season: Xabi Alonso. Following the departure of Liam Rosenior just under a month ago, the Spanish coach will take the reins of the first team starting July 1, with a long-term contract that will extend until 2030.
In an official statement, the club highlighted the Spanish coach's qualifications to lead a new era. "His appointment reflects the Club's confidence in his extensive experience, his quality as a coach and his style of play, his leadership qualities, his character and his integrity", they stated from Stamford Bridge, where they also defined him as "one of the most respected figures in current football".
Alonso, 44, had been without a team since January, when he was dismissed from Real Madrid after losing in the Supercopa de España final against Barcelona. He will now return to coaching in England, a country where he shone as a footballer during his time at Liverpool from 2004 to 2009.
"Chelsea is one of the most important clubs in world football and I am immensely proud to become the coach of this great club,” expressed the former coach of Bayer Leverkusen in statements released by the institution. "After my conversations with the owners and the sporting management, it is clear that we share the same ambition".
