The picture frames in Stamford Bridge's Drake Suite tell you everything you need to know about the weight of expectation descending on Xabi Alonso's shoulders. Flanking the room during his unveiling as Chelsea's new manager were large photographs of José Mourinho and Antonio Conte, each clutching a Premier League trophy. The message from the club's hierarchy could not have been clearer.

Alonso is the sixth permanent manager Chelsea have appointed in the four turbulent years since Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital completed their takeover. He arrives at a club that finished tenth in the Premier League last season, faces at least one campaign without European football, and carries the wreckage of a chaotic dressing room into pre-season. The blue carpet has been rolled out, but the circus is never far from town.

Concessions Made to Land a Marquee Name

How exactly Alonso ended up at Stamford Bridge is one of the more compelling questions of this summer's managerial market. Best known in England for winning silverware with Liverpool as a player, and then for his remarkable unbeaten Bundesliga campaign with Bayer Leverkusen on the touchline, he represents a genuine coup in terms of reputation. Yet Chelsea had to work for it.

"For sure we needed to have proper talks," Alonso acknowledged at his unveiling. Tellingly, the club have handed him the title of manager rather than the head coach designation that has defined their modern structure — a sign that real concessions were made to get the deal over the line. He is working alongside sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart and insists the three of them are "aligned" on direction and ambition. Given Chelsea's recent history, that alignment will be tested soon enough.

Indiscipline, Injuries and a Midfielder Who Wants Out

The squad Alonso inherits is not short of talent, but its problems run deep. Last season ended with Wesley Fofana receiving a red card on the final day against Sunderland — Chelsea's eleventh dismissal of the campaign, twice as many as any other side in the division and a new, unwanted club record. The ownership model, which prioritises acquiring young players with high resale potential, has produced a dressing room criticised for its lack of leaders, its chronic indiscipline, and a fragility that saw the team collapse from Champions League contention after Enzo Maresca stepped down mid-season.

The Enzo Fernández situation adds further noise. The £106 million midfielder has been reported to want to leave, with speculation so intense that Real Madrid were compelled to issue a public statement denying interest. Alonso, however, is backing the Argentine to stay. He says he has spoken to Fernández directly and expects him to return to training at Cobham following the World Cup.

Cole Palmer presents a different sort of challenge. His downturn last season was stark enough to cost him a place in England's World Cup squad. Alonso has already spent time with the midfielder on the training pitches and came away encouraged. "He's special and if he's enjoying it, he's in a good mood, a good spirit, he can be a key player for us," the new manager said. Whether Palmer can rediscover his best form will go a long way to shaping Chelsea's season.

Setting New Standards — But History Offers a Warning

Alonso has signed a four-year contract, a tenure that would make him a near-permanent fixture by Chelsea's recent standards. His message on culture is straightforward. "We want a team with the right mentality, the right hunger, the right standards and on a daily basis build on them," he said. "I'm not a general, but I'm a good professional, and I know what it takes to be a good professional."

The noises out of Cobham in these opening days are cautiously optimistic. Alonso's line — "I don't think that we need to change everything. It's about changing a few things and that can work" — suggests a manager who understands the brief without underestimating its difficulty. Mauricio Pochettino and Frank Lampard were also given the Drake Suite treatment before results soured and the axe fell.

Chelsea's hierarchy clearly believe this appointment is different. The market appears to agree that Alonso brings genuine pedigree. But with no European football to offer, a disciplinary crisis to resolve, and those photographs of Mourinho and Conte still watching from the walls, the pressure is already on.

Frequently asked

How many managers has Chelsea had since the Boehly takeover?
Xabi Alonso is Chelsea's sixth permanent manager since Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital completed their takeover, a period spanning just four years.
Will Enzo Fernández stay at Chelsea under Xabi Alonso?
Alonso has said he expects Fernández to remain at the club. He has spoken to the Argentina midfielder directly and anticipates him returning to pre-season training after the World Cup, despite reports of the player wanting to leave.
Why did Chelsea finish so low in the Premier League last season?
Chelsea ended the season in tenth place after a sharp collapse following Enzo Maresca's mid-season departure. The team were on course for Champions League qualification before results deteriorated, with a record 11 red cards and a lack of experienced leadership cited as key factors.