Chelsea have announced the appointment of Liam Rosenior as their new head coach on a 5.5 year contract.
Rosenior led his colleague at the BlueCo club Strasbourg after working as head coach at Hull City and Derby County. He was in London this week to complete the move.
The 41-year-old man was Strasbourg head coach since July 2024. He led the French club to seventh place in the standings. League 1 last season.
He leaves them after Saturday's 1-1 draw at the stadium Good – their fifth league game without a win. They are seventh in the table and top of the Conference League.
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Rosenior will replace Enzo Maresca, who left the club on January 1.
Chelsea, who saved a 1:1 draw against Manchester City on Sunday after Enzo Fernandezequalized in stoppage time, occupy fifth place in the table Premier League.
But the series is only one win in seven games and Mareschi’s comments that hinted at behind-the-scenes problemsbrought an end to the Italian's 19-month spell ahead of Sunday's draw with City, overseen by Under-21s coach Calum MacFarlane.
The academy coach has confirmed he will be on the bench for Chelsea's Premier League clash with their west London rivals Fulham on Wednesday.
“I am honored to be appointed head coach of Chelsea Football Club. This is a club with a unique spirit and a proud history of winning trophies,” Rosenior said in a statement.
“My job is to protect that identity and build a team that reflects those values in every game we play while continuing to win trophies. It means a lot to me to be trusted with this role and I want to thank everyone involved for the opportunity and faith in doing this job. I will do everything to achieve the success this club deserves.”
“I strongly believe in teamwork, unity, cohesion and working for each other and these values will be at the core of everything we do. They will be the foundation of our success.”
Shortly before his move to Chelsea was announced, Rosenior gave a farewell press conference in France on Tuesday morning, in which he said he had yet to sign a contract with the Premier League club.
“It looks like I'll be the next manager [Chelsea]”, he said.
“I haven’t signed a contract yet, I have verbally agreed with Chelsea. It's really important, it's different from anything anyone has ever done – no one made a statement before they signed the contract.”
“Everything has been agreed and it will probably happen in the next few hours. I'm here because I care about this club and I felt it was right to answer your questions physically here today before moving on.”
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Rosenior also admitted that he had received interest from others.”Champions League clubs” but said he couldn't turn down the opportunity to manage Chelsea.
“The last 18 months have been a joy and the best of my professional career. I've met incredible people, made incredible memories and made history,” Rosenior said.
“None of this will happen without the investment of our property and the hard work of our president.
“Many clubs showed interest in me, including Champions League clubs with whom I have always been open. [our president] Mark [Keller] and our property.
“I will love this club for the rest of my life, but I can’t give up Chelsea.
1:29
Can Liam Rosenior succeed at Chelsea?
Gab Marcotti and Julien Lawrence discuss the potential appointment of Liam Rosenior as Chelsea manager.
Despite his relative inexperience at the top level, Rosenior is confident he is ready for the challenges that await him at Chelsea.
“Outside of PSG in France, if Chelsea needs a coach, that coach will probably take the job at Chelsea,” he said.
“I wouldn’t have taken the job at Chelsea if I wasn’t ready.
“There are some clubs you can't refuse. I hope Strasbourg fans will see that and be proud of it.”
Rosenior 'emotional' on exit from Strasbourg
It's rare to see a manager step into a press conference just as he's about to leave a club, but Rosenior did just that on Tuesday and made sure to talk about his love for his soon-to-be former club Strasbourg.
“I'm so excited about the future. I have spent my entire life coaching and running a world class football club,” he said.
“It really makes me sad for what I'm leaving behind. It's emotional because this is my last day and time to wake up as Strasbourg coach. This is football.”
Rosenior also confirmed that his staff, including Khalifa Cissé and Justin Walker, will be moving to west London with him.
“I would not be in this position without my incredible staff,” he added.
“I’m leaving a lot of really good people behind. What I do know is that there is a good group of people coming.
“I have never met anyone with as much emotional intelligence as Kalifa. [Cisse]. Unfortunately for Strasbourg, he will come with me.”
Strasbourg fan group regrets 'another humiliating step'
Strasbourg fans have long spoken out against Strasbourg's position within BlueCo's multi-club ownership model.
BlueCo, a consortium led by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital, acquired Strasbourg in the summer of 2023, a year after the Chelsea takeover was completed.
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Strasbourg captain Emmanuel Emega said he was left “devastated” after his own fans turned their backs on him in the 1-0 win over Le Havre on September 14 after announcing he would join Chelsea in 2026.
Emega was booed by some of the Strasbourg fans when he received the Player of the Month award before kick-off.
Fans from the club's Ultra Boys group hung a banner at the Stade de la Meino that read: “Emega, BlueCo pawn. After changing your jersey, return the captain's armband.”
Last weekend's game against Nice began with the traveling Strasbourg fans staging their usual five-minute silent protest against their owners, with some fans holding “BlueCo Out” signs and a banner reading “non à la multiproprieté” (no multiple ownership).
1:18
Why Leboeuf has high hopes for Rosenior at Chelsea
Frank Leboeuf explains why he is optimistic that new manager Liam Rosenior will be a good choice to replace Enzo Maresca at Chelsea.
Following the announcement of Rosenior's move to the Premier League side, Strasbourg fans group Fédération Supporters RCS said: “Liam Rosenior's transfer marks another humiliating step in Racing's subordination to Chelsea. For two and a half years we, along with others, tried to raise the alarm about this.
“The problem goes far beyond mid-season sporting influence and the ambitions of a young coach. It is structural: the future of French club football is at stake.”
