Xabi Alonso to Chelsea deal agreed: Which teams did Alonso play for?

Xabi Alonso is set to be appointed the new manager of Chelsea, with news breaking just minutes after the team’s 1-0 loss to Manchester City in the FA Cup final.

The Athletic reports that Alonso has reached total agreement with the Premier League club having visited London last week. Alonso had been one of the most coveted young coaches in world soccer when he joined Real Madrid last summer but he failed to impress his style of play on the team and departed after just seven months.

The 44-year-old looks set to sign a four-year deal with Chelsea as the club looks to bounce back from a disastrous season. The Blue began the season with Enzo Maresca but parted company with him in January. He was replaced by Liam Rosenior but he too was dispensed with before the end of the season.

Did Xabi Alonso play for Chelsea?

Xabi Alonso had a long and wildly successful playing career, winning nearly every that there is to win and playing for some of the world’s biggest clubs. However that stellar career never took him Chelsea.

Alonso began his professional career with LaLiga side Real Sociedad, playing in the first team for five years before attracting the attention of Liverpool. Spanish head coach Rafa Benitez had recently taken charge of Liverpool and brought Alonso to Anfield on a deal worth £10.7 million.

After a successful three seasons on Merseyside - playing and scoring in Liverpool’s Champions League final triumph over AC Milan - Alonso was sold to Real Madrid for £30 million. He spent six years in the Spanish capital and lifted the Champions League once more, before moving on to German giants Bayern Munich. He spent three seasons in Bavaria, winning three Bundesliga titles, and finished his incredible career in 2017 at the age of 35.

His coaching career began back where it all started, with Real Sociedad B. After impressing there he was handed the first team head coach role at Bayer Leverkusen and led the club to a first-ever Bundesliga title as part of an unprecedented unbeaten domestic double. His subsequent seven-month spell with Real Madrid was less successful, but he remains one of the most promising young coaches in the world.

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