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Chelsea are set to ramp up their efforts to land top managerial candidate Xabi Alonso following Saturday's FA Cup final, according to a new report.
It came to light earlier this week that both club leadership and the playing squad have signaled that Alonso is their top choice to succeed Liam Rosenior, with the Blues eager to secure an agreement before the World Cup gets underway.
The timeline could be even shorter, as The Telegraph reports that Chelsea will shift their attention to finalizing a deal with Alonso the moment the FA Cup final is over.
An agreement could be reached "within days" of Saturday's showcase event, with preliminary discussions already having taken place between Chelsea and Alonso regarding each side's vision for the position.
Chelsea are prepared to offer their incoming manager significantly more influence over transfer decisions than his predecessors enjoyed. Should Alonso accept the offer, he would have meaningful input in targeting a select group of established players, rather than being handed a steady stream of unproven youngsters.
Liverpool Determined to Stick With Arne Slot
Speculation has emerged that Alonso might hold off for an approach from Liverpool, where Arne Slot's position as manager is coming under growing scrutiny following a deeply underwhelming title defense in the Premier League.
However, Fabrizio Romano reports that Liverpool, despite enduring 20 losses across all competitions under Slot, remain committed to keeping the Dutchman in charge, leaving Chelsea with a clear path to Alonso.
A Champions League berth is still not guaranteed for Liverpool, who must defeat Brentford on the final day of the season to secure their place in the competition. Both Bournemouth and Brighton & Hove Albion still have the opportunity to overtake Slot's team in the standings.
While there has been no indication that Slot would be dismissed should Liverpool fail to qualify for the Champions League, the added pressure he would face in that scenario cannot be overlooked.
Seemingly aware that Liverpool could be pushed into making a call on Slot's future by the end of next week, Chelsea appear intent on moving swiftly to secure Alonso before his former club even has the opportunity to enter the running.
Chelsea are not thought to have any reservations about Alonso's previous ties to Liverpool, with a broadly enthusiastic response from supporters to his potential appointment helping to reassure club officials to move forward.