Chelsea have held encouraging discussions over a move for Xabi Alonso but are keeping their options open and are closely monitoring Andoni Iraola’s situation. The west London club are looking for a permanent head coach and it is understood that Alonso and Iraola have emerged as the top picks for the role. Other managers are still under consideration, though, and Chelsea are not expected to rush a final decision on who to appoint. Chelsea, who made Calum McFarlane interim head coach until the end of the season after firing Liam Rosenior last month, have also looked at Fulham’s Marco Silva, Crystal Palace’s Olivier Glasner and the former Flamengo manager Filipe Luís. Silva is out of contract at the end of the season and Glasner will leave Palace after the Conference League final later this month. The Stamford Bridge hierarchy is confident of attracting their favoured candidate and there is optimism over how early talks with Alonso’s camp have gone.…