Gianluca Di Marzio: Xabi Alonso will not accept Chelsea's managerial job offer

The summer transfer window is fast approaching and the managerial merry-go-round is already in full swing. Chelsea are searching for a permanent manager. Real Madrid are doing the same. And across Europe, some of the biggest names in football are being linked with moves that would reshape the landscape of the game.

AceOdds spoke to renowned Italian transfer journalist Gianluca Di Marzio. He had clear verdicts on the Xabi Alonso-Chelsea situation, Jose Mourinho's return to the Bernabeu, and a series of transfer stories involving Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, and PSG.

Alonso will not go to Chelsea, but Iraola is in the frame

The story dominating the managerial market is Chelsea's pursuit of Xabi Alonso. The former Bayer Leverkusen boss has been heavily linked with Stamford Bridge, but Di Marzio is categorical that the deal will not happen.

"I really don't think that Xabi Alonso can or will accept an offer from Chelsea, because he knows what happened to Enzo Maresca when he was the manager. He knows that the board wants to have influence on the decisions, which normally is up to the manager. They want to decide which players should be substituted during a match and all that stuff, which Alonso can't accept at all."

With Alonso effectively ruled out, attention turns to who Chelsea might realistically land. Di Marzio points to Andoni Iraola as a serious candidate but stresses that the club's internal issues must be addressed first.

"I think Iraola has a good chance of becoming the new Chelsea manager, but they will have to fix some of the internal problems at the club. I think Xabi Alonso is waiting for another offer, but of course Chelsea will try, but he won't accept it."

Pep Guardiola could leave Man City, Enzo Maresca emerges as top target

The Chelsea situation takes on another dimension when the Manchester City picture is factored in. Di Marzio believes Pep Guardiola is set to step away from the Etihad at the end of the season and that City have already identified their target to replace him.

"It is interesting to look at the manager situation in the Premier League, because Man City really wants Enzo Maresca. It is very likely that Pep Guardiola can leave after this season. After this long period of coaching he wants some rest. He doesn't want to go to a new club, he needs to rest to get some energy."

"But City would have to pay Chelsea if they want Maresca and they will try to find a solution in the next weeks, if Pep Guardiola will confirm - as I think - that he will leave the club."

For City, the focus right now is on this weekend’s FA Cup final as Pep prepares to lead his side against a struggling Chelsea. While the Blues are certainly outsiders at 15/4, with City positioned as the 7/10 favourites, a one-off game like this is always unpredictable - and through using our bet365 bonus code, you can back whatever result you desire in what looks set to be a fascinating clash.

Mourinho to Real Madrid?

While Chelsea's search remains unresolved, Real Madrid's situation appears far clearer. Di Marzio is in little doubt that Jose Mourinho will be taking charge at the Bernabeu next season.

"I think Jose Mourinho is the favourite to take over the job at Real Madrid. I think he is the great favourite for the job."

"I think that Madrid wants a leader in that position, and Mourinho really ticks that box. Allegri was a possibility as well and they were thinking about having him as a coach and Luka Modric as the assistant coach, but Mourinho is the favourite now."

"The deal is going very fast forward now, really in a speedy way. Everything looks like Mourinho is coming to Real Madrid."

The history between Mourinho and club president Florentino Perez is well documented, as are the tensions that marked the end of his first spell. Di Marzio is dismissive of any suggestion that old friction could derail the appointment.

"They have a lot of problems in the club, both on and off the pitch, and Mourinho is the perfect manager to put all the pressure on himself and not the club or the players. Florentino Perez loves Mourinho and he has always wanted to have him back."

"We know there were some small problems between Perez and Mourinho when Real Madrid and Benfica played, but that is in the past now. So, I think Mourinho can and will come back."

"They have to pay his exit clause, but that isn't a problem for Real Madrid. In the end, I really think he will come back to Real Madrid."

Tonali and Ederson emerge as key United midfield targets

Aurélien Tchouameni's bust-up with Federico Valverde has fuelled speculation about his future at Real Madrid. United have also been linked. Di Marzio acknowledges the interest but places Tchouameni lower down the club's priority list.

"It's true that the situation is chaotic right now at Madrid but we have to wait for the appointment of a new coach, and if Mourinho, in this case or Allegri want to keep him (Tchouameni) or not. I don't think United can have more than two big transfers this summer."

"I think that if they get Ederson, they need another one and they are really thinking about Tonali. I don't know if they will get Tonali, but if they get Ederson and Tonali it's impossible for them to sign Tchouaméni, otherwise they have to spend a lot of money. But they want to sign midfielders for sure, and I think that Tonali and Ederson are ahead of Tchouaméni in the list and the possibilities for United's future midfield."

Kroupi, Diomande and the City recruitment picture

Eli Junior Kroupi has been one of the revelations of the Premier League season at Bournemouth, attracting interest from several of the division's biggest clubs. Di Marzio confirmed that interest is real but suggests City's primary target in attack lies elsewhere.

"He's a super, super player. I know, for example, that Enzo Maresca likes him a lot, and I know that Manchester United will try to sign him, but I don't know if they will try to get him this season. But they will for sure try to sign one offensive winger and one right back."

"I think that the first choice for City is not Kroupi but it's Yan Diomande of Leipzig. I think that he could be the first choice, for the offensive winger position.”

“While, for the right back position, I know that Palestra of Atalanta, who is playing with Calleri, is a player that they like. But they have to know and understand if, tactically, he can play right back for City because in Italy, we play in a different way."

"We play with five players in midfield and he's playing right back, but as 5th, not as 4th, and so they have to understand if he can play in a defensive way too, but they are scouting him."

PSG are not selling Kvaratskhelia or Barcola

Two PSG wingers in Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Bradley Barcola have been linked with moves to Arsenal and Liverpool, but Di Marzio is sceptical about both.

"I don't think there is any chance that Kvaratskhelia can leave Paris Saint-Germain because he arrived one year and a half ago, and he has an incredible salary. He's at a top club, a top team, in a top moment, so I don’t think that there is a chance that he can leave Paris Saint-Germain for any club at this moment."

"I don't think that Paris Saint-Germain wants to sell Barcola and sell one of the players that Luis Enrique likes. It's true that he's not playing a lot because they have Kvaratskhelia and Doué, but Barcola is one of the top players at Paris Saint-Germain."

"I don't think Paris Saint-Germain will sell one of these players. I don't trust the voices about his possible transfer at this moment."

Juventus hold the cards to the futures of Conceição and Cambiaso

Francisco Conceição and Andrea Cambiaso have both attracted interest from Premier League clubs. Whether either moves depends entirely on Juventus's own fate and specifically whether they secure Champions League football.

"It depends if Juventus will get into the Champions League or not, and if they have to sacrifice one or two of the top players if they don't arrive in the Champions League. They are two players that Spalletti wants to have in his team, so it's not easy for other clubs to sign them."

"It's true that Conceição is on the list of Liverpool because of Salah's departure. But they've not had any contacts at the moment with Juventus because they don't know if Juventus wants to sell the player or not."

"Cambiaso has other clubs really interested in him like Como, but at the moment, Juventus will decide in the next few days after the end of the season if one of these two players or if Bremer, who is another player that has had problems with his contract, will renew their contracts."

"They will decide which one of these top players they have or need to sell if they don't go into Champions League."

Van de Ven stays — De Zerbi would walk if he left

Micky van de Ven has been the subject of speculation amid Tottenham's relegation troubles. Di Marzio believes the defender will remain and delivers a warning about what his departure would mean for Roberto De Zerbi.

"I think that Roberto De Zerbi will leave Tottenham if they sell van de Ven. He's absolutely a leader and De Zerbi loves the player. He likes him very much. He was the captain recently and he wants to create a stronger Tottenham, so I don't see van de Ven out of Tottenham next season at all."

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