Chelsea already has defined who will take charge of the team after the end of a season marked by changes on the bench. reached an agreement with Xabi Alonso to make him his new coach and its officialization could occur in the next hours, in accordance with ESPN.

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The 44-year-old Spanish coach will take the position after remaining without a team since January, when he was fired from Real Madrid after a brief e cover of barely half campaign. According to reports, the former-midfielder will sign a contract for four seasons with the Stamford institution Bridge.

Chelsea's decision comes a few days after losing the FA Cup final against Manchester City, a result that accelerated the process to find a new in coach. The club had no a permanent technician since the departure of Liam Rosenior last month, just 106 days after having been designated as enzo Maresca's replacement.

Negotiations and demands before the agreement

During the selection process, the board also evaluated other candidates such as Andoni Iraola, current coach of AFC Bournemouth, and Marco Silva, who manages Fulham F.C..

However, in the last days Alonso became the priority of BlueCo, the club's owning group, and the conversations advanced until the final understanding was closed.

The former Bayer Leverkusen coach would have requested certain conditions before accepting. Among them, he requested clarity on the club's transfer policy and greater authority to make sports decisions within the project.

After the meetings held with the owners, Alonso gave the green light to take up the challenge in the Premier League.

New cycle in Stamford Bridge

The defeat at Wembley left Chelsea without one of the season's objectives and deepened institutional uncertainty. Under the interim command of Calum M cFarlane, the team closed the last weeks without permanent technical management, while the board accelerated the search for a long-term project.

The arrival of Alonso represents a new attempt to stabilize the club, which in the recent months changed managers several times. His recent experience in Spanish football and his past as an elite player weighed in the final decision.