Xabi Alonso will be tasked with finding another coach for his backroom staff once he officially joins on July 1st after an unexpected departure at Chelsea.
Xabi Alonso is set to arrive at Chelsea on a four-year contract. Looking to establish immediate authority, Alonso has finalised a seven-man backroom team that blends his most trusted Spanish lieutenants with key figures already embedded at Stamford Bridge.
Travelling with him to West London is his long-time assistant and defensive specialist, Sebastian Parrilla, who has been by Alonso’s side since his early coaching days in 2018. Assistants Alberto Encinas and Benat Labaien, along with fitness coach Ismael Camenforte Lopez, complete the incoming contingent.
Crucially, Chelsea are retaining vital continuity within the setup. Highly rated interim head coach Calum McFarlane is staying on to work directly under Alonso, while head of goalkeeping Ben Roberts and set-piece coach Bernardo Cueva are also keeping their roles.
Realistically, how much is Liam Delap worth?🤔
Casper Ankergen to join Panathinaikos
According to Tipsbladet, Casper Ankergren is leaving his role as assistant goalkeeper coach at Chelsea to join Greek side Panathinaikos as their new head goalkeeping coach.
The 46-year-old Dane enjoyed a successful playing career in England as a fan-favourite goalkeeper for both Leeds United and Brighton & Hove Albion.
After retiring in 2017, Ankergren transitioned into coaching under Ben Roberts at Brighton, later serving as head of goalkeeping at Brondby and West Ham before his short stint at Chelsea.
If you’re the president of a football club, who do you hire first: Jose Mourinho or Xabi Alonso?🤔
Put the bias aside!
Chelsea’s main issue was in the goalkeeping department last season
Chelsea’s goalkeeping situation undermined their progress last season, developing into a crisis.
Robert Sanchez’s vulnerabilities on the ball brought carnage to the backline, with his frequent misplaced passes and blunders leading directly to goals and chances.
When summer signing Filip Jorgensen was called upon to provide competition, the Danish keeper struggled, registering a negative goals-prevented metric and coming up with mistakes of his own.
However, one thing that could help this situation is the return of Mike Penders.
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