Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso stated that his decision to join the club was "about timings." Speaking at his first press conference, Alonso, who had a decorated playing career at Liverpool, including winning the Champions League in 2005, addressed questions about why he opted for Chelsea instead of his former team.

"Well, it is about timings," Alonso told BBC Sport. "I am here today on my first day at Stamford Bridge... Chelsea is one of the biggest clubs and I am looking forward to having success here." This comes after reports that Alonso had not been in contact with Liverpool prior to accepting the Chelsea position. Liverpool, meanwhile, had initially planned to retain manager Arne Slot before making the "difficult decision" to dismiss him after a trophyless second season.

Alonso joins Chelsea as their sixth permanent manager under owners Blue Co, led by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital. He expressed satisfaction with the collaborative approach to decision-making with the club's sporting directors and highlighted the potential within the current squad. Alonso aims to reinforce the team strategically, emphasizing alignment with the sporting directors to build the right squad for success. He noted that Cole Palmer has returned with a positive mindset, and Alonso believes building a team around such talent will lead to success.