Chelsea are once again searching for a permanent manager after a turbulent spell that followed the brief Liam Rosenior experiment. Rosenior arrived from Strasbourg under the BlueCo umbrella, but a perceived lack of elite experience and an inability to galvanise the dressing room left the appointment looking like a gamble that failed. The club also lost Enzo Maresca at the start of January after the Italian openly clashed with senior management.

The Athletic has reported Chelsea are “exploring a deal” for Xabi Alonso, who is currently out of work after his stint at Real Madrid. No final decision has been taken and the soccer department’s five-person leadership team will review options before recommending a candidate to the owners. The Spaniard is described as “open” to discussing the role.

Alonso arrives with strong recent credentials from Bayer Leverkusen, where he delivered the club’s first national championship and an undefeated domestic double. That record helped him emerge as a clear choice at the Bernabéu last summer because of his history as a player there and his coaching results in Germany. The criticism of his Real Madrid tenure centred on the mismatch between club and coach — Real needed a ‘manager’ to unite a squad of global stars, while Alonso is seen more as a ‘coach’ who focuses on tactical detail, and was said to have been trying to coach players who didn’t want to be. The fallout at Madrid has been amplified by reports of a rotten culture and infighting.

Many of Alonso’s strengths match Chelsea’s present needs. He has a reputation for improving young players: Florian Wirtz flourished under him, while Jeremie Frimpong, Piero Hincapié, Victor Boniface, Odilon Kossounou and Josip Stanišić were cited as beneficiaries, and veterans such as Granit Xhaka and Robert Andrich also elevated their performances. Chelsea’s squad of developing talents could suit a coach with that profile. His 3-4-3 or 3-4-2-1 ideas from Germany would exploit Chelsea’s centre-back depth and attacking fullbacks, with inside forwards like Cole Palmer, Pedro Neto and Alejandro Garnacho fitting the system. Alonso also brings Premier League experience as a former Liverpool player and a record of major honours at club and international level.

Other names linked to the vacancy include Andoni Iraola, Marco Silva, Oliver Glasner and Filipe Luís. Each has differing profiles: Iraola has built success at smaller clubs, Silva has long experience in England with mixed trophy returns, and Glasner has won domestic cups but reportedly has grievances with his current hierarchy. The club’s decision will rest with the leadership team and the owners once a recommendation is submitted.

Chelsea have reportedly made Xabi Alonso their early favourite for the vacant managerial role, but the club will need to address structural issues before they can expect the Spaniard to accept.

The January appointment of Liam Rosenior as Enzo Maresca’s replacement lasted just 106 days and came amid a collapse that has almost certainly cost Chelsea a spot in the Champions League. That sequence has intensified the imperative of selecting a manager who will be given the tools and authority to deliver.

According to reports, Alonso has moved out in front of a number of candidates. His standing is linked to a managerial identity formed at clubs where he has been both player and coach. Persuading him to join will require changes to how decisions are made above the dugout.

Co-owner Behdad Eghbali’s plan to sign exclusively young players with high potential is overseen by sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart alongside recruitment directors Joe Shields and Sam Jewell. That recruitment framework has not produced the intended results and has prompted vocal opposition from players including Enzo Fernández, Marc Cucurella and Tosin Adarabioyo.

As Mauricio Pochettino recently warned, “Chelsea’s owners need to listen to something other than data.” The issue, as laid out by departing manager Enzo Maresca, was a perceived lack of trust in his judgement. Reports indicate Maresca faced pressure from upstairs over player selection, with debates often centred on fitness and the desire to accelerate the progression of the club’s project players. Teenage winger Estêvão is thought to have been at the centre of that debate.

Any prospective appointment must have clarity over the manager’s remit. If Alonso is to implement new formations, demote underperforming players or make other substantial calls, he will require the autonomy to do so. The owners began with an ambitious, long-term project; for that project to work they must place faith in the manager whose job is to manage the team.

Chelsea left Anfield with a 1-1 draw after recovering from an early deficit but will rue a missed chance to claim all three points. Enzo Fernández’s free-kick cross sneaked inside the bottom corner for the equaliser, a strike described in the match as fortunate but earned by Chelsea’s growing control of the first half. Cole Palmer had what might have been a winner shortly after the restart, only for the effort to be ruled out by a narrow offside.

The result offered little clarity for either side’s Champions League ambitions. Chelsea’s bid is not quite over, and Liverpool’s remains unsealed.

The Blues’ recurring vulnerability to early goals remains a clear problem. After shipping the first of three Nottingham Forest goals after 83 seconds on Monday afternoon, João Pedro lamented a common theme for Chelsea. “This is the Premier League,” he fretted, “if you concede very early, it’s difficult to come back. Everyone needs to look at themselves, me included, to find a way to do better. I feel sorry for the fans.” That pattern continued at Anfield when Ryan Gravenberch needed six minutes to bend the ball beyond Filip Jörgensen following a second-phase set piece. It was the ninth goal Chelsea have conceded in the opening 10 minutes of Premier League matches this season, a tally only surpassed by relegated and manager-less Burnley.

Chelsea responded well after the early setback and forced Liverpool into a more cautious shape, allowing the visitors to exert authority on the match. Fernández’s equaliser could have proved decisive had the opening moments not again worked against Chelsea.

Player ratings
GK: Filip Jörgensen — 6.6. Might have reached Gravenberch’s strike but produced several important saves thereafter.
RB: Malo Gusto — 6.7. A lively contest with Rio Ngumoha, trading small victories.
CB: Wesley Fofana — 6.8. Limited impact; a missed aerial challenge at the goal from Fernández’s cross was telling.
CB: Levi Colwill — 7.3. First Premier League start of the season following a torn ACL; a solid return despite expected rust.
LB: Jorrel Hato — 7.2. Largely untroubled by Jeremie Frimpong.
CM: Enzo Fernández — 7.0. Roamed freely across midfield and found the equaliser.
CM: Moisés Caicedo — 7.8. Defensive linchpin, often operating as a fifth defender and covering all thirds.
CM: Andrey Santos — 6.4. Frequently a stride behind his marker.
RW: Cole Palmer — 6.6. Threatened but lacked decisive end product.
ST: João Pedro — 6.9. Created space and openings, the sharpest of Chelsea’s attackers.
LW: Marc Cucurella — 6.6. Adapted well when pushed higher amid an injury crisis.
SUB: Reece James (63’ for Santos) — 7.1. Failed to make a lasting imprint.

Unused subs: Gaga Slonina, Josh Acheampong, Tosin Adarabioyo, Trevoh Chalobah, Mathis Eboué, Roméo Lavia, Liam Delap, Ryan Kavuma-McQueen.

Match statistics
Possession: Liverpool 48% | Chelsea 52%
Expected Goals (xG): Liverpool 0.51 | Chelsea 0.47
Total Shots: Liverpool 8 | Chelsea 6
Shots on Target: Liverpool 3 | Chelsea 3
Big Chances: Liverpool 1 | Chelsea 1
Passing Accuracy: Liverpool 84% | Chelsea 86%
Fouls Committed: Liverpool 2 | Chelsea 4