Liam Rosenior has been confirmed as Chelsea’s new head coach on a six-and-a-half-year deal, saying the opportunity to succeed Enzo Maresca at Stamford Bridge was too good to turn down.
The 41-year-old Strasbourg boss told a press conference earlier in the day at the Ligue 1 club that he had “verbally agreed” on the move.
Chelsea officially announced that Rosenior, who will take charge of his first match in the FA Cup at the weekend, had signed a deal until 2032.
“I am extremely humbled and honoured to be appointed head coach of Chelsea Football Club,” he said in a statement on the Premier League team’s website.
“This is a club with a unique spirit and a proud history of winning trophies.
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“My job is to protect that identity and create a team that reflects these values in every game we play as we continue winning trophies.”
Rosenior has just three years’ experience as a manager, with Hull City and French club Strasbourg, and has never coached in the Premier League.
But he had been widely touted as the frontrunner to succeed Maresca since the Italian left Chelsea last week.
Strasbourg are part of the Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital-owned BlueCo multi-club ownership group that also controls Chelsea.
Rosenior is Chelsea’s fourth permanent managerial appointment since BlueCo took control of the club previously owned by Roman Abramovich in 2022.
The club said the Englishman had shown “he can build teams with a clear way of playing while setting the highest standards with players on and off the pitch”.
“While there will continue to be a focus on player development, the club’s expectations and ambitions remain high,” Chelsea added.
Rosenior said he had wanted to announce the news himself in Strasbourg because of his deep feelings for the French club.
The former defender, whose father, Leroy Rosenior, was also a player and a manager, told reporters the chance to manage Chelsea was “an opportunity I cannot turn down”.
“I’m so excited about the future. I cannot lie. My whole life I’ve worked to be a coach,” he said.
“To be presented with this opportunity to manage a world-class football club is something I’ve always dreamed of.
“With that is a mixed emotion of sadness of what I’m leaving behind.”
Chelsea interim manager Calum McFarlane told reporters that he would remain in charge for Wednesday’s Premier League match against Fulham.
McFarlane said he had spoken briefly to the club’s new boss.
“He’s obviously really excited about taking the role,” he said. “It’s a brief conversation, so my understanding is he’s going to be at Cobham (Chelsea’s training ground) later on today.”
Rosenior played in the Premier League and the second-tier Championship in England. His clubs included Fulham, Reading and Hull.
He had a variety of coaching roles at Derby, which included 12 matches as caretaker manager at the start of the 2022/23 season.
Later in 2022 Rosenior took over as manager of Championship team Hull. He was sacked after 18 months and in July 2024 was appointed by Strasbourg, who he guided to seventh place in Ligue 1 last season.
McFarlane said Rosenior’s teams played “aggressive, front-foot football” and that his appointment would inspire English managers.
Since the formation of the Premier League in 1992, not a single English manager has won the title.
“I’m sure all young English coaches from an academy background will be in some way, regardless of who you support, rooting for Liam,” said McFarlane.
“So it is really inspirational for young academy English coaches.” Maresca left Chelsea abruptly on New Year’s Day following a deterioration in his relationship with club bosses, just months after winning the UEFA Conference League and Club World Cup.
Chelsea are fifth in the Premier League, 17 points behind Arsenal, with just one win in their past eight league games.
Meanwhile, Maresca insisted he’d left Chelsea in a better place than when he found it in his first public message to players and fans after his departure.
In a post shared to Instagram, Maresca sent a message to the club’s supporters and his players but there was no reference to the owners or any members of the club’s hierarchy.
“My journey with Chelsea began with the preliminary rounds of the Conference League.
“I leave with the inner peace of leaving a prestigious club like Chelsea where it deserves to be.
“I want to thank all the Chelsea fans for their support over the last 18 months.
“Support that was crucial to achieving Champions League qualification, winning the Conference League, and winning the Club World Cup. Victories that I will always hold in my heart.
“A special thank you to all the players who have accompanied me on this wonderful journey.
“I wish everyone who has shared every moment with me every success in this second half of the season and in the future. Thank you, Chelsea, from me and my family.”
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