Alonso emerges as best candidate for Chelsea job
Latest from Your Site News' Kaveh Solhekol:
Xabi Alonso has emerged as the candidate with the best CV for the Chelsea job.
Chelsea want a manager with experience at the highest level.
Alonso is highly regarded because of his playing career and his managerial record at Bayer Leverkusen.
There is also a general feeling that he wasn't given enough time at Real Madrid and he would have been successful if he had kept his job.
Chelsea are focusing on the FA Cup final but work is going on in the background involving their sporting directors and the representatives of the managers they are targeting.
'Chelsea exploring deal to appoint Alonso'
Chelsea are exploring a deal to appoint Xabi Alonso as the clubs new head coach, according to The Athletic.
Alonso is said to be open to the possibility of replacing Liam Rosenior, with Bournemouth's Andoni Iraola also a "strong contender".
Alonso has been out of management since being sacked by Real Madrid in January after just seven months in charge, having joined from Bayer Leverkusen to replace Carlo Ancelotti.
Iraola confirmed in April that he will leave Bournemouth when his contract expires at the end of this season.
Merse: Silva to replace Rosenior at Chelsea?
Your Site' Paul Merson:
"You always think Xabi Alonso is going to be the next Liverpool manager - I'd keep Slot, because of what he did last year.
"But unless he's been told he's not getting the Liverpool job, he might say yeah it's a good fit.
"He was brilliant at Leverkusen, he messed with the wrong people at Real Madrid. You can't do that, messing with Vinicius Junior, so it'll be interesting.
"I like him, he was a special player and did great in Germany but not so much in Spain. Plus, he hasn't managed in the Premier League.
"I think it could be Marco Silva. He ticks the boxes. Iraola won't like what he sees with Chelsea being outrun in every game, I don't know how he'd turn that around.
"Silva's only up the road too, wouldn't have to move, he's been in the Premier League a long time and is steady. He's done a really good job at Fulham."
Cancelo hints he could stay at Barcelona
Joao Cancelo has hinted that his future could lie at Barcelona after winning the LaLiga title.
The Portuguese full-back admitted he has already made a decision on his future, but stopped short of confirming whether he will remain at Barca beyond his loan spell from Al Hilal.
I know what I want. I cannot say it publicly, but we will see what happens from now on, said Cancelo.
The 31-year-old described Barcelona as a very special club and revealed he had supported the club even before joining. His latest league triumph saw him make history as the first player to win league titles in four of Europes five major leagues Italy, England, Germany and Spain.
Cancelo also aimed criticism at Al Hilal, claiming the Saudi club failed to keep promises.
There were people who did not tell me the truth, he said. They told me they were going to register me in the Saudi League squad, then the moment of truth came and they did not do it.
"But I am always the one with the bad personality. At least I keep my word. I am a man of my word, I never change my word for anything, I have always been the same, my personality is the same, I am direct."
O'Neil says Chelsea owners BlueCo 'messed up' Strasbourg recruitment
Gary ONeil has accused BlueCo, the owners of Chelsea and Strasbourg, of "messing up" recruitment this season at the Ligue 1 side and questioned the clubs culture.
The former Wolves and Bournemouth coach was appointed in January after Liam Rosenior moved to Stamford Bridge and has overseen two semi-final defeats in the last month as the club exited the Coupe de France and the Conference League.
Strasbourg have won six of their 14 league games under ONeils management but defeats by Nice in April and over two legs against Rayo Vallecano ended their hopes of silverware and with it their last chance of qualifying for Europe next season.
O'Neil believes recruitment during the January transfer window weakened rather than strengthened his squad.
I need two centre-forwards, said ONeil following Sundays 1-1 draw with Angers, reported by LEquipe.
The owners want to give me the means to perform next season, but we have to improve the culture around the club, the quality of the players, and the depth of the squad.
We messed up in the January transfer window. We weakened instead of improving the squad.
Striker David Datro Fofana and defender Aaron Anselmino were loaned from Chelsea while the influential Mamadou Sarr, who spent the first half of the season on loan from Stamford Bridge, was recalled to west London.
Ecuador international Kendry Paez also had his season-long loan cut short by Chelsea and was immediately loaned out again to River Plate in Argentina.
Mourinho increasingly likely to become next Real Madrid head coach
Jose Mourinho is believed to be increasingly likely to become the next Real Madrid boss.
Despite the Portuguese's insistence that he is not personally speaking to the Spanish giants while Benfica's season is still alive, work is going on behind the scenes on his behalf with the intention to make a move happen, Your Site News understands.
Mead to leave Arsenal at end of season
Beth Mead will leave Arsenal at the end of the season when her contract expires.
The forward, who joined the Gunners from Sunderland in 2017, leaves after nine seasons in north London. She made 265 appearances for the club, scoring 86 goals.
In a glittering career at Arsenal, she has won the Women's Super League title, three League Cups, the Champions League and a Champions Cup.
Lewis-Skelly on his Arsenal future: I'm focused on the games we have got coming up
Myles Lewis-Skellys absence from Arsenal's team earlier this season had raised questions about the left back's long-term future, and there had been suggestions the 19-year-old could even be sold this summer despite agreeing a new contract which takes him through to 2030 only last year.
Asked if he is fully committed to Arsenal, the Hale End Academy graduate replied: I am focused on the games that we have got coming up and bringing this club back to glory.
Chelsea aim to appoint new manager by mid-June
Latest from Your Site News' Kaveh Solhekol:
Chelsea are aiming to have a new manager in place by mid-June.
Chelsea now have a shortlist of five or six names, including Xabi Alonso, Andoni Iraola and Marco Silva.
Alonso has been out of work since he left Real Madrid in January after eight months in charge, but he may decide to take a year out before returning to management.
The ex-Liverpool midfielder won 24 of his 34 games but lost his job after Barcelona beat Real Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup final.
At the time, they were four points behind Barcelona in LaLiga, but that gap is now 14 points after they lost at Barcelona to hand their rivals the title.
Alonso won the German domestic double at Bayer Leverkusen in 2023/24.
The focus at Chelsea this week is on Saturday's FA Cup final against Manchester City, while work on recruiting a new manager continues.
Victory at Wembley could be Chelseas best chance of qualifying for European football next season in the Europa League.
Benfica to target Silva if Mourinho becomes new Real Madrid boss
Latest from Your Site News' Kaveh Solhekol:
Benfica will target Fulham boss Marco Silva if Jose Mourinho becomes the new Real Madrid head coach.
Silva's Fulham future is up in the air with his contract due to expire at the end of the season.
The 48-year-old is a Chelsea managerial target with Silva on a Blues shortlist, which also includes Xabi Alonso and Andoni Iraola.
But it has emerged that Silva is a potential target for Benfica if Mourinho returns to Real Madrid.
Mourinho has denied reports that he is in talks with Real president Florentino Perez over a potential return to the club.
But if the 63-year-old departs Portuguese side Benfica, then Silva could be lined up for a return to his homeland.
Silva has previously managed Estoril and Sporting in Portugal.
