Chelsea is considering appointing Xavi Hernandez as the next head coach in the plan to build a consistent and long-term stable football philosophy.
The London team is currently entering a stage described as "self-revaluation" after failing to appoint Liam Rosenior and a generally disappointing season, except for the journey in the FA Cup. However, Chelsea's board of directors still wants to soon determine a new direction to best prepare for the pre-season period.
At Stamford Bridge, the general feeling is that the club has made significant progress in shaping its football identity. This philosophy currently not only appears in the first team but is also applied throughout the academy system and youth teams. One of the reasons Enzo Maresca was once highly appreciated is his ability to clearly deploy a playing style that matches that orientation.
Therefore, Chelsea wants to continue to choose a coach with similar tactical thinking. Xavi is a prominent name in the consideration list, alongside Xabi Alonso, Francesco Farioli of Porto and Cesc Fabregas. However, the possibility of Fabregas leaving Como this summer is assessed as not high.
Andoni Iraola also received great admiration from Chelsea's leadership. However, the Spanish captain is considered to represent a different school of thought compared to the remaining candidates. This forces Chelsea to consider whether they should change tactical orientation if they want to pursue Iraola, in the context that he is also receiving attention from many other teams.
Therefore, Xavi is increasingly mentioned in internal discussions. The former Barcelona coach has not returned to work since leaving the Catalan team in 2024, ending 3 years of leadership with the most outstanding achievement being the La Liga championship.
Although the way he parted ways with Barcelona questioned Xavi's ability and potential, there is still a view that that period brought him many important lessons. Special pressure when leading the team in his childhood is considered one of the reasons affecting the work of the Catalan strategist.
Currently, Xavi is said to want to find a project that brings more freedom in coaching and team development - something he feels Spanish football has not really allowed.
Besides professional factors, The Blues also appreciate Xavi's experience working with young players. During his time leading Barcelona, he created conditions for many talents who grew up from La Masia such as Lamine Yamal, Fermin Lopez or Pau Cubarsi to develop strongly in the first team. This is considered a suitable point for Chelsea's current strategy, as the team owns one of the youngest forces in the Premier League.
Xavi's ball control style, prioritizing imposing the game and building the playing style from the lower line is also considered similar to the direction that Chelsea's leadership wants to maintain for many years to come. However, the biggest problem for the London team is not only in choosing the right coach, but also in the ability to create stability. This is what they have lacked throughout the post-Roman Abramovich period.
