Xabi Alonso, Andoni Iraola and Marco Silva Among Chelsea’s Managerial Targets as BlueCo Seek Fifth Permanent Appointment

Chelsea are in no rush to name their next permanent manager, with the club conducting background checks on a shortlist of candidates as they look to make a more experienced appointment than their last, according to Press Association via The Irish News.

First-team coach Calum McFarlane will remain in interim charge for the remainder of the current campaign while the club’s hierarchy carries out its review. The search represents Chelsea’s fifth attempt at a permanent managerial appointment since BlueCo’s takeover, a period marked by significant instability in the dugout.

Liam Rosenior was dismissed last week after a short spell in charge. His appointment had been viewed internally as an experiment that did not pay off — Rosenior had no prior Premier League managerial experience and had held only two senior posts before joining Chelsea.

Among those under consideration are former Real Madrid head coach Xabi Alonso, Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola and Fulham boss Marco Silva. All three could realistically be available when the season concludes.

Alonso, 44, has been without a club since Real Madrid parted ways with him in January 2025. The former Liverpool and Real Madrid midfielder brings considerable pedigree to the table — he won the UEFA Champions League twice as a player and, as a manager, guided Bayer Leverkusen to an unbeaten Bundesliga title in the 2023-24 season, one of the most remarkable achievements in recent German football history.

Iraola has already confirmed he will depart Bournemouth at the end of the season, making him an immediately available option. The Spaniard has overseen a notable period of progress at the Vitality Stadium, steering the club to a ninth-place Premier League finish last season — equalling their joint-highest ever top-flight placing — and currently has them in contention for what would be their first-ever European qualification.

Silva’s situation at Fulham is less definitive. The Portuguese manager is out of contract at the end of the season and has not publicly committed to remaining at Craven Cottage. His record in west London has been strong: he secured promotion from the Championship in 2022 and last season delivered Fulham’s best points total in the Premier League era. Like Iraola, Silva currently has his side pushing for European football.

While Alonso’s CV carries the most weight in terms of elite-level honours, neither Silva nor Iraola have managed at the top bracket of European competition. However, both have demonstrated consistent development of mid-table Premier League clubs into overachievers, a quality Chelsea’s recruitment team will likely view as relevant given the squad-building challenges the club continues to navigate.

Chelsea’s managerial instability under BlueCo has been well-documented, with multiple high-profile appointments and dismissals since the consortium led by Todd Boehly completed its purchase of the club in 2022. The expectation that the next appointment will be an experienced figure signals a potential shift in the club’s recruitment philosophy at head coach level.