And so, the cycle begins anew. A fresh face has stepped into the managerial office at Chelsea. The buzzwords ringing around Stamford Bridge are ambition and alignment. But for Xabi Alonso, the real test lies in maintaining those positive sentiments beyond next May — for he has inherited one of English football’s most unforgiving jobs.

Alonso is no stranger to the harsh truths of management; his seven-month stint at Real Madrid taught him that well enough. Now, he finds himself at Chelsea, another club notorious for its revolving door of managers. Not a single Chelsea boss has lasted more than two years since Antonio Conte, who also delivered their most recent Premier League crown. Patience is in short supply at Stamford Bridge, where four managers have departed mid-season in the last five years.

Alonso arrives following a turbulent campaign that saw Chelsea collapse to 10th place, missing out on European competition altogether amid growing issues with squad discipline. The Spaniard must establish a new culture and identity to deliver the consistency the club’s owners desire — but whether he’ll be given enough time to do so remains uncertain.

“Time will tell,” Alonso remarked at his unveiling. “What I’m sure of is that we have the ambition to win a lot of matches, to be competitive. We must take important decisions, build strong principles, and forge a solid mentality and culture within the club. And time will tell.”

He went on to add, “I won’t make any predictions about May. It’s far too early for that. But I’m confident and optimistic that we can enjoy a great season.”

Chelsea’s capture of Alonso appears to be a masterstroke — securing arguably the most in-demand young coach in world football. His brief and difficult tenure at the Santiago Bernabeu should not overshadow his extraordinary success with Bayer Leverkusen, where he led them through an unbeaten Bundesliga campaign to end Bayern Munich’s decade-long dominance. One more win in Dublin would have sealed an unprecedented invincible treble, but Atalanta ended that dream in the Europa League final.

Yet, it’s worth asking what drew Alonso to Chelsea, given the recent unrest among supporters directed toward the BlueCo ownership — hardly the most enticing environment for a new manager.

“When we started talking, it felt like a good moment and a great opportunity,” Alonso explained. “I don’t believe we’re that far from building a strong team capable of competing and winning many games. I truly believe that.”

He continued, “Yes, last season some things went wrong, but I’m positive we can do much better. We’ll definitely make some updates and strengthen in specific areas. If we find the right balance and make smart decisions, we can have a successful season. I don’t think we need to change everything — just a few key things, and that can make the difference.”

There are early signs that Alonso will enjoy more autonomy than some of his recent predecessors. He joins as a manager rather than merely a head coach, meaning he’ll be more directly involved in the club’s broader operations, not just what happens on the pitch.

He is deeply engaged in Chelsea’s transfer planning, collaborating closely with the club’s five sporting directors. It’s a layered structure that often raises questions, especially given Chelsea’s spotty record in the transfer market under BlueCo. However, Alonso insists the relationship is functioning smoothly so far.

“It works really well,” he said. “We’ve been in close contact. We’re all aligned on our targets — analysing what we want, how we aim to achieve it, and once we decide on the approach, we execute it together. It’s not so different for me because I feel genuinely involved in the process of making the right decisions.”

Alonso declined to comment on rumours about a potential reunion with Granit Xhaka, as Sunderland appear confident of fending off Chelsea’s interest. “When it comes to players who aren’t part of our squad and transfer speculation, I know you enjoy it, but it’s not my place to comment,” he said. However, he acknowledged the need for reinforcements, with Chelsea yet to sign a player over the age of 21. “We have a good group, but we’ll need to make a few signings to strengthen the squad, no doubt.”

When asked about specific positions or potential departures, Alonso was cautious. With players like Enzo Fernandez and Alejandro Garnacho possibly following Marc Cucurella and Andrey Santos out of the club, his priority is to have a squad “good enough to compete in every match” by the Premier League’s opening weekend on 24 August — meaning things could move swiftly in the coming weeks.

His return to the Premier League after 18 years was once expected to be with Liverpool, where he became a club legend as a player. Instead, Liverpool are now managed by fellow Basque Andoni Iraola. Both men are beginning their first Premier League seasons, aspiring to emulate the success of another Basque tactician, Mikel Arteta — Alonso’s childhood friend and current champion with Arsenal.

“Mikel has developed into a fantastic manager, and now they’re the reigning champions,” Alonso noted. “It’ll be a big challenge going up against him, against Unai [Emery], against Andoni. We all come from the same region, so it’s quite special.”

While Alonso can draw inspiration from Arteta’s rise, he faces a far less forgiving environment. No Chelsea owner since 2003 has tolerated three consecutive second-place finishes without additional silverware — Carlo Ancelotti was dismissed after just one, despite winning the league and cup double the previous season. The expectations are clear: success must come quickly, as is tradition at Stamford Bridge.