Syndicated reporting provided by Stats Perform and reviewed by the SoccerNews editorial team.
John Terry hopes Liverpool’s decision not to replace Arne Slot with Xabi chelsea-prepare-100m-move-for-real-madrid-star-report/">Alonso comes back to bite them.
Alonso will officially join Chelsea in July after putting pen to paper on a four-year contract after he was sacked by Real Madrid in January.
The former Bayer Leverkusen boss was linked with a return to Anfield when it was confirmed Jurgen Klopp would be departing Liverpool, but he stayed in Germany until joining Madrid in 2025.
Slot won the Premier League in his first campaign at the helm in 2024-25, but after finishing fifth in 2025-26 after a summer of big-money signings, he was sacked at the end of last month.
Alonso’s name had been continually linked with a return to Liverpool, where he spent five years as a player, throughout Slot’s second campaign, but Chelsea swooped in before Slot’s dismissal.
Andoni Iraola is the new man in the Liverpool hot seat after a successful three years with Bournemouth, and Terry wishes that decision is one they regret.
“I don’t think he’ll struggle. I think he’ll come into the building on day one and have respect as a player and as a manager,” Terry told a virtual roundtable hosted by SuperSport.
To go on and do what he’s done in such a short career as a manager [has earned it for him].
“That Liverpool-Chelsea rivalry will always be there. I hope Liverpool regret not getting him, because that would mean Chelsea have been successful, so I hope that’s the case.
“This is a positive signing. I’m sure he’s going to get a massive response on the opening day of the season.
“Naturally, like all managers or ex-players, he’ll be judged by his results, but I love the fact that he’s in the building.”
Chelsea Football Club is delighted to announce the appointment of Xabi Alonso as Manager of the Men’s Team.
The Spaniard will begin his role on July 1, 2026, having agreed a four-year contract at Stamford Bridge.
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) May 17, 2026
Alonso arrives at Stamford Bridge with an impressive CV despite his sacking by Madrid.
He won the Bundesliga and the DFB-Pokal in 2023-24, with his Leverkusen team going unbeaten all season until they lost to Atalanta in the Europa League final.
The Spaniard was seen as Madrid’s long-term coach, but even after winning 23 of 34 matches, Alonso was relieved of his duties at the start of 2026.
Terry believes that Alonso’s success as a player for both club and country has influenced his managerial career.
“If I was a player coming into Chelsea and I sat with Alonso; I look at the difference between sitting with him or Rafa [Benitez]. I know who I would like to sign for,” Terry added.
“I would like to sign for Xabi and would like to come and play for him because he’s a great man; he’s a great technician [and] he was a top player.
“These managers – you’re seeing Frank Lampard do well in the game and him – they’re on such a good wavelength with the players.
“I think it’s perfect because they can tap into what they were doing when they were playing and what they liked and stuff.
“So, I think it’s going to be a really positive signing and I’m delighted to have him in the building.”
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