Chelsea Football Club has appointed former midfielder Xabi Alonso as their new manager, with the Spanish coach set to take charge from July. Alonso, 44, arrives at Stamford Bridge following a highly regarded, though mixed, managerial career.

Alonso began his coaching career at Bayer Leverkusen, where he achieved notable success by securing a league and cup double two seasons ago. However, his subsequent tenure at Real Madrid was short-lived; he was dismissed after just over six months in January. Despite this, Chelsea’s recruitment of Alonso is viewed as a significant coup amid the club’s challenging season.

Chelsea’s campaign has been marked by instability, including the departure of two managers, Liam Rosenior last month and previously Enzo Maresca. Interim boss Calum McFarlane has overseen the team since Rosenior’s exit. The Blues recently suffered a narrow 1-0 loss to Manchester City in the FA Cup final but remain in contention for a seventh-place finish in the Premier League. Following a 2-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur on Tuesday, Chelsea still have a chance to qualify for the Europa League if they win their upcoming match against Sunderland and favorable results occur elsewhere.

Defender Jorrel Hato expressed enthusiasm about Alonso’s appointment and the club’s prospects. Hato, 20, highlighted Alonso’s stature as a former player for Liverpool, Real Madrid, and Bayern Munich, as well as his managerial success at Leverkusen. “Chelsea are a big club, so we have to be in Europe,” Hato said. “We will go to Sunderland to win the game and secure the spot.”

Reflecting on the season’s difficulties, Hato acknowledged the challenges Chelsea have faced, including managerial changes and the recent cup final defeat. Nonetheless, he noted signs of resilience and improved performance in recent matches. “Against Spurs, and in other games, we’ve shown that we can play good football and have a good mentality as well,” he said. “Internally we speak and we’ve said when it hasn’t been enough.”

With Alonso’s arrival on the horizon, Chelsea aim to rebuild and return to continental competition after a turbulent campaign.