Next Chelsea Manager: Former Real Madrid boss now joint-favourite to succeed Liam Rosenior

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A new manager is now leading the pack to become the next Chelsea head coach and, surprisingly, it is a former Real Madrid head coach. The Blues continue their search while Calum McFarlane deputises until the end of the season with an FA Cup final on the horizon to show for it but the new man linked to the Stamford Bridge will certainly raise a few eyebrows.

Bournemouth head coach Andoni Iraola has been leading the pack for most of the time ever since Rosenior was shown the door shortly after the Blues' heavy loss at Brighton & Hove Albion last week. However, the odds slashed overnight on a former Real Madrid manager with him now joint-favourite alongside the outgoing Premier League boss.

Many would think it would Jose Mourinho given his recent speculation of leaving Benfica in the summer but it is in fact former Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso who is linked with the job. Alonso has been without a job since his short stint as Real Madrid boss this season but has successes to show for it including guiding Bayer Leverkusen's first ever Bundesliga title in their impressive invincible season in 2023/24.

Betfred's Robert Ford said: “Liverpool icon Xabi Alonso has had his odds slashed from 7/1 into 5/2 joint-favourite, alongside Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola, to become the next permanent manager of Chelsea.

“Alonso has been heavily linked with a return to Anfield, even before becoming the boss of Real Madrid last summer, but with it looking more likely that Arne Slot will remain at Liverpool next season, Alonso could be heading back to the Premier League with Chelsea. The ex-Bundesliga winning player and manager was a big outsider when the market opened at 20/1.

“Former sole market leader Andoni Iraola has been pushed out to 5/2 from 6/4, whilst Fulham’s Marco Silva sits just outside the leading pair at 5/1. Ex-Chelsea duo Cesc Fabregas and Filipe Luis’ prices have taken a hit in the past 24 hours as the pair have both been pushed out from 4/1 into 6/1 and 10/1, respectively. Club legend Frank Lampard is now out at 14/1 from 8/1.”

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