Chelsea has confirmed the arrival of Liam Rosenior as the club’s new head coach, ending the search that followed Enzo Maresca’s departure on New Year’s Day.
Chelsea has confirmed the arrival of Liam Rosenior as the club’s new head coach, ending the search that followed Enzo Maresca’s departure on New Year’s Day.
The 41-year-old English coach leaves Strasbourg to take charge at Stamford Bridge after agreeing to a long-term deal lasting five and a half years, which also includes an option to extend by a further season.
Rosenior will not be on the touchline immediately, as he is set to watch Wednesday’s Premier League match at Fulham from the stands before leading his first training session on Thursday.
He is expected to oversee his first competitive fixture on Saturday, when Chelsea hosts Charlton Athletic in the FA Cup third round.
Rosenior described the move as a deeply personal moment, saying he felt both humbled and honoured by the club’s decision to appoint him.
He explained that the opportunity carried huge significance and thanked those involved for placing their trust in him, adding that he intends to commit fully to restoring success.
Chelsea’s interim coach, Calum McFarlane, revealed he had a short conversation with Rosenior on Monday evening, stressing that his role would be one of support rather than guidance.
McFarlane also made clear that he had no intention of offering advice, pointing to Rosenior’s experience and standing as a coach.
Earlier on Tuesday, Rosenior addressed the media in France, confirming he had already reached a verbal agreement to take over at Chelsea.
He said the chance to join a club he described as exceptional, and one that has lifted the Club World Cup, was impossible to refuse, despite his affection for Strasbourg.
Both clubs are part of the BlueCo ownership structure led by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital, and Rosenior will be joined in London by several members of his Strasbourg staff, including Kalifa Cisse, Justin Walker, and Ben Warner.
Rosenior was appointed in July 2024 and led Strasbourg to seventh place in Ligue 1 last season, securing a return to European competition after an eight-year absence.
His final match ended in a 1-1 draw away to Nice, extending a run of five league games without victory, although Strasbourg remains seventh domestically and top of their Conference League group.
The former Fulham and Hull City defender acknowledged the emotional difficulty of leaving but insisted he would not have accepted the Chelsea role unless he felt prepared, despite having no previous experience as a Premier League manager.
Caretaker boss McFarlane had taken charge of Chelsea’s most recent match, a 1-1 draw against Manchester City on Sunday.
