Guardian: Chelsea’s ideal manager candidate emerges – Marco Silva mentioned

Xabi Alonso with Real Madrid. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)

Guardian: Chelsea’s ideal manager candidate emerges – Marco Silva mentioned

Originally posted on Chelsea News | By Simon Phillips | Last updated May 12, 2026 8:00 AM ET

The Guardian have named Chelsea’s idea manager candidate this summer and also given some updates on Marco Silva.

Silva is obviously the current manager of Fulham, but he has been linked with making a move somewhere else during the summer coming up, and Chelsea have been strongly linked with him.

Is he the leading contender for the vacant Chelsea role after they sacked Liam Rosenior? It does not appear so. But the links with Silva and Chelsea just do not seem to be going away.

Maybe they will go away if he joins Benfica? And that is something that looks possible in the last few days.

I do not think Chelsea fans would be at all happy if they landed Silva as the new Blues manager, I think for many that only one man would suffice…

Xabi Alonso to Chelsea?

The Guardian’s report says Chelsea are understood to regard Xabi Alonso as their ideal candidate for the vacant manager role this summer.

It also states Benfica will target Marco Silva as their manager if they lose José Mourinho to Real Madrid.

Chelsea also keen on Marco Silva apparently, but Xabi Alonso is FIRST choice.

Malo Gusto infuriated some Chelsea fans with his performance on Saturday afternoon, and some are now writing him off for good with their latest reflections on the player.

Chelsea are pushing for Xabi Alonso and the Basque seems interested, with a pre-World Cup deadline certainly possible. And it’s not just Fabrizio Romano reporting it!

This article first appeared on Chelsea News and was syndicated with permission.

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