According to talkSPORT reporter Ben Jacobs, former Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez has entered the candidate list of Chelsea's new head coach. This is the news that came out on May 5.
Chelsea fired Rossinier last month and are now actively looking for his successor. There is Xavi, there is Elora, and Marco Silva and Xabi Alonso are also within the scope of attention at Stamford Bridge.
It is reported that sources close to Xavi have confirmed that Chelsea has indeed made preliminary contact with the Barcelona legend. Xavi himself is open to coaching in England and is willing to consider invitations from the Premier League. However, Chelsea’s current plan is to contact multiple candidates in a thorough coaching selection process, and the final candidate has not yet been determined.
According to previous media reports, Chelsea will consider hiring Xavi, mainly because the club hopes to continue the coaching philosophy established in the past four years in the coaching bench. It is felt within Chelsea that the team has made significant progress in instilling tactical concepts, and this style is now clearly evident from the youth academy all the way through the echelons of all age groups. One of the great values of former coach Maresca lies precisely in the fact that his team perfectly demonstrated this type of football philosophy. Therefore, Chelsea wants to continue to hire coaches with similar coaching principles, which has also led to Xavi entering the scope of discussion.
The names on the candidate list, in addition to Xavi, also include Xavi Alonso, Faglioli and Cesc Fabregas. However, Fabregas is not expected to leave Como this summer. As for Illaura, although he is deeply admired by Chelsea football management, he is regarded as being in a different school from other candidates. If Chelsea want to compete for Illaura, they may need to weigh whether to change their established coaching policy for the first time.
Moreover, Chelsea faces external competition that is difficult to ignore in matters such as signing Iola. On the whole, Xavi is a name on Chelsea's coaching list that deserves careful consideration. Not only did he have a remarkable and easily eye-catching resume during his playing days, but during his time coaching Barcelona, he also showed a very clear and uncluttered tactical approach that everyone could understand at a glance, as well as a very accurate understanding of the philosophy behind ball control. All of these are in perfect harmony with Chelsea's philosophy of continuing.
Of course, Chelsea's coaching process is at an early stage, and the final result remains to be seen. Whether Harvey will become the new helmsman at Stamford Bridge depends on the progress of subsequent communication between the two parties and the status of the competition among other candidates. For Chelsea, selecting a head coach who is consistent with the new management philosophy will be an important step in the summer reconstruction work.