Xabi Alonso has been appointed as Chelsea’s new manager, the club have announced.

Alonso, 44, has agreed a four-year contract with the west London club and will begin work after the end of the season on July 1.

The Spanish coach had been out of work since being fired by Real Madrid in January after just half a season in charge at the Bernabéu.

“Chelsea is one of the biggest clubs in world football and it fills me with immense pride to become manager of this great club,” Alonso said in a statement.

“From my conversations with the ownership group and sporting leadership, it is clear we share the same ambition. We want to build a team capable of competing consistently at the highest level and fighting for trophies.”

Chelsea, who lost 1-0 to Manchester City in the FA Cup final on Saturday, have endured a turbulent campaign following the exits of Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior, who was fired just 106 days into his six-and-a-half year deal last month.

Despite having also identified Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola and Fulham’s Marco Silva as potential replacements for Rosenior, whose role has been filled by interim coach Calum McFarlane in recent weeks, the Chelsea hierarchy has been in talks with Alonso in recent days after making the former Bayer Leverkusen coach their No. 1 target.

“There is great talent in the squad and huge potential at this football club and it will be my great honour to lead it,” Alonso added.

“Now the focus is on hard work, building the right culture and winning trophies.”

Alonso announced himself as one of Europe’s most promising young managers after he guided Leverkusen to the Bundesliga title unbeaten in 2024.

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Liverpool slipped to another miserable defeat against Aston Villa on Friday night to leave their hopes of a Champions League spot in doubt and Mo Salah has now spoken out

Mohamed Salah has called on Liverpool ‘recover their identity’ following another dismal weekend under Arne Slot.

The dethroned champions slipped to a miserable 4-2 defeat against Aston Villa to leave their Champions League spot in doubt ahead of the final game of the campaign.

The defeat leaves Liverpool fifth and just five points clear of Bournemouth ahead of their final day clash with Brentford. And Salah – who is due to leave at the end of the season – has now spoken out with a strong message to his teammates.

Writing on Instagram, the Egyptian forward said: “I have witnessed this club go from doubters to believers, and from believers to champions. It took hard work and I always did everything I could to help the club get there. Nothing makes me prouder than that. “Us crumbling to yet another defeat this season was very painful and not what our fans deserve. I want to see Liverpool go back to being the heavy metal attacking team that opponents fear and back to being a team that wins trophies.

“That is the football I know how to play and that is the identity that needs to be recovered and kept for good. It cannot be negotiable and everyone that joins this club should adapt to it. “Winning some games here and there is not what Liverpool should be about. All teams win games. Liverpool will always be a club that means a great deal to me and to my family. I want to see it succeed for long after I have moved on.

“As I’ve always said, qualifying to next season’s Champions League is the bare minimum and I will do everything I can to make that happen.”

Robert Lewandowski has confirmed he will leave Barcelona when his contract expires at the end of the season.

Lewandowski joined Barcelona in 2022 and has made 191 appearances in all competitions, netting 119 goals.

Across his four seasons in LaLiga, the Pole has won three LaLiga titles, including this season, as well as the Copa del Rey and the Supercopa de Espana three times.

Lewandowski has started just 15 of his 29 LaLiga appearances this season, but is still Barcelona’s second-highest scorer in the competition this season, having netted 13 goals.

“After four years full of challenges and hard work, it’s time to move on,” Lewandowski said in a video posted to Instagram.

“I leave with the feeling that the mission is complete. Four seasons, three championships.

“I will never forget the love I received from the fans from my very first days. Catalonia is my place on earth.

“Thank you to everyone I met along the way during these beautiful four years.

“A special thank you to President Laporta for giving me the chance to live the most incredible chapter of my career.

“Barca is back where it belongs.”

In each of his first three seasons at Barcelona, Lewandowski finished as the club’s top scorer and won the Golden Boot in 2022-23, netting 23 times.

His most prolific season in LaLiga was last term, when he netted 27 goals.

Lewandowski will play his final game at Camp Nou on Sunday, when Barcelona face Real Betis, while his last match for the club will come away to Valencia on May 23.

The 37-year-old’s next destination is unclear at this stage; he has been linked to clubs in the Saudi Pro League and MLS.