Chelsea are ready to accelerate their pursuit of leading managerial target Xabi Alonso after Saturday’s FA Cup final, a report has revealed.
It emerged earlier this week that both the hierarchy and the playing squad have made it clear that Alonso is their preferred target to replace Liam Rosenior, with the Blues keen to get a deal over the line before the World Cup.
Things may not even take that long as The Telegraph note Chelsea will switch their focus to getting a deal for Alonso over the line as soon as the FA Cup final concludes.
A deal could be struck “within days” of Saturday’s showpiece fixture, with talks already held between Chelsea and Alonso to discuss each party’s respective vision for the role.
Chelsea are ready to give their new manager a greater involvement in recruitment compared to those before him. Alonso, should he accept Chelsea’s offer, will get the chance to give his input in pursuit of a handful of ready-made players, rather than accept an ongoing string of inexperienced youngsters.
Liverpool Determined to Stick With Arne Slot
There have been suggestions that Alonso could hold out for an offer from Liverpool, where Arne Slot’s status has manager is under increasing pressure after a bitterly disappointing defense of their Premier League title.
However, Fabrizio Romano claims that Liverpool, despite watching Slot oversee 20 defeats across all competitions, are determined to stick by the Dutchman, giving Chelsea a free run at Alonso.
A spot in the Champions League is not yet assured for Liverpool, who need to beat Brentford on the final day of the season to guarantee their qualification. Both Bournemouth and Brighton & Hove Albion could still leapfrog Slot’s side in the table.
While there have been no suggestions that Slot could be fired if Liverpool do not qualify for the Champions League, there can be no denying the extra position he would be facing if that did happen.
Perhaps wary that Liverpool could be forced into a decision on Slot’s future at the end of next week, Chelsea appear keen to work quickly to wrap up a deal for Alonso before his former employers even have the chance to join the race.
Chelsea are not believed to have any concerns about Alonso’s past association with Liverpool, with a largely positive reaction from fans to his potential hiring helping convince Blues officials to proceed.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Chelsea ‘Set Timeline’ for Xabi Alonso Pursuit After Fresh Liverpool Decision.
