Alonso is one of several candidates on Chelsea's shortlist to replace Liam Rosenior, joining the likes of Andoni Iraola and Marco Silva.
To many, the Spaniard is the most proven top-level manager, having won the Bundesliga title with Bayer Leverkusen in 2024 following an invincible campaign.
But the initial major sticking point to persuading Alonso to join was working under the BlueCo hierarchy, who have typically not given managers freedom to sign their own players in the transfer window.
Enzo Maresca, who was sacked by the Blues in January, publicly criticised the club's ownership for not giving him the final say on transfers.
According to reliable journalist Simon Phillips, meanwhile, BlueCo are set to learn from their mistake by granting Alonso "more control" in the recruitment department.
“Chelsea are offering Xabi Alonso more control, which is what he has asked for," he wrote on his Si Phillips Talks Chelsea Substack.
"He’s also been asking around recruitment, especially centre backs, and who they will be looking to bring in.”
Should Chelsea's owners stick to their promise and persuade the former Real Madrid boss to take the role, they may have appointed the right man to lead them into a new era.