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.

A draw between Liverpool and Chelsea at Anfield left both sides assessing where they stand in the Champions League race. Ryan Gravenberch’s sixth-minute stunner put Liverpool ahead early, but Chelsea responded through Enzo Fernández’s drifting free kick that evaded everybody and beat Giorgi Mamardashvili.

Liverpool were missing key personnel: Mohamed Salah, Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitiké were unavailable. In their absence Rio Ngumoha emerged as the clear creative focal point. He had 19 touches in the first half, completed three of four dribbles and repeatedly troubled Malo Gusto. Ngumoha’s decision to come inside and his weighted pass into space allowed Gravenberch to curl the early strike into the top corner. His withdrawal in the 66th minute prompted boos from the crowd, reflecting confusion at the substitution.

Dominik Szoboszlai’s thunderous free-kick struck the wall before play worked out to Ngumoha, whose pass created Gravenberch’s opportunity. Despite the positive moments, Liverpool were warned by the result. The draw is not a disaster, but the Reds could drop to fifth and be only three points clear of sixth if Aston Villa and Bournemouth secure positive results.

For Chelsea a draw was a useful outcome after six successive Premier League defeats prior to the trip to Merseyside. Enzo Fernández, whose recent absence included an internal two-game suspension, has returned in strong form. Operating higher and linking with Cole Palmer, Fernández exploited spaces left by Ibrahima Konaté and Curtis Jones’s lack of communication and helped shift momentum during periods of the first half.

Marc Cucurella, deployed on the left wing by stand-in manager Calum McFarlane, provided energy and combinations with Fernández and João Pedro. He was almost decisive early in the second half but a VAR offside call ruled out the move when Moisés Caicedo played him through.

Jeremie Frimpong continues to struggle for rhythm after injuries, attempting just two dribbles and completing none, with one cross, one defensive contribution and one tackle recorded by FotMob. Cody Gakpo offered little up front, with 77 minutes, 12 touches and eight passes and no shot on Filip Jörgensen’s goal. Levi Colwill, making his first Premier League start of the season after a torn ACL, enjoyed an easier afternoon than many expected.