Elite club adviser details BlueCo promise to Xabi Alonso that sealed his Chelsea appointment

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(Credit: Imago) Wed 20 May 2026 17:00, UK Chelsea must give Xabi Alonso their full backing if they want the Spaniard to fix their current on-pitch problems.That is the view of former Everton chief executive Keith Wyness, speaking to Football Insider, after Alonso was appointed Chelsea manager.Alonso has signed a four-year contract and will begin work in July, with the former Real Madrid boss facing a busy summer transfer window.The Blues’ financial situation means player sales will be expected, whilst Alonso will look to bolster the squad following their failure to qualify for the Champions League.Alonso becomes Chelsea’s third manager of the year, with the London club having already sacked Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior. 👔 Chelsea Manager News👔 Get the inside track on the Stamford Bridge dugout with updates on shortlisted candidates and BlueCo technical strategy. VISIT THE MANAGER HUB MORE FOOTBALL INSIDER STORIES Chelsea players ‘will respect’ Xabi AlonsoEverton’s former chief Keith Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – believes Alonso will have wanted “assurances” from the Chelsea board before taking the job.Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast, Wyness thinks that Chelsea have got “very lucky” in being able to hire Alonso, who was also linked with replacing Arne Slot at Liverpool.Games Managed174Games Won113Games Drawn36Games Lost25Xabi Alonso’s managerial stats at Bayer Leverkusen and Real Madrid.He told Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast: “I don’t think Alonso would have taken the job unless he had the right assurances.

Alonso is going to be a success at Chelsea, and the whole thing will finally sort of come together. “But Alonso’s got the depth of thought.

And Chelsea have been very lucky to have got him. And he is the right one to fix this.”Mass exodus of stars expected at ChelseaFormer Manchester United chief scout Mick Brown told Football Insider that Alonso could offload six Chelsea players immediately this summer.Alonso will be assessing his squad, and getting rid of any players that may cause issues in the dressing room.Rosenior had to deal internally with Enzo Fernandez and Marc Cucurella, who both speculated about their futures away from Stamford Bridge.Chelsea could be prepared to let Fernandez leave this summer, with Real Madrid interested in signing the 25-year-old. 🦁 Don’t Miss a Beat: Your Chelsea Insider Access Get the full story from Stamford Bridge and Cobham with our dedicated expert hubs: Updated 24/7 with expert analysis from West London.