LONDON -- Chelsea Football Club has officially appointed Liam Rosenior as its new head coach on a long-term contract running until 2032, the club announced on Tuesday. The 41-year-old Englishman, who has been managing fellow BlueCo-owned club Strasbourg since July 2024, steps into the role immediately following the mid-season departure of Enzo Maresca earlier this month.
Rosenior's appointment comes at a pivotal moment for Chelsea, who are currently fifth in the Premier League standings after a dramatic 1-1 draw against Manchester City on Sunday. That result, secured by Enzo Fernández's stoppage-time equalizer, provided a brief respite from a troubling run of form that saw the team manage just one victory in their last seven games. Maresca, who had been in charge for 19 months, left the club on January 1 amid reports of behind-the-scenes issues, with under-21s coach Callum McFarlane overseeing the City match from the dugout.
The academy coach, McFarlane, confirmed he would remain in the interim role for Chelsea's upcoming Premier League clash against west London rivals Fulham on Wednesday. Rosenior, however, is expected to take charge soon after finalizing his move from France, where he was in London this week to complete the transfer.
Rosenior's coaching career has been on an upward trajectory in recent years. He previously served as head coach at Hull City and Derby County before taking over at Strasbourg last summer. Under his guidance, the French side finished seventh in Ligue 1 last season, a solid achievement for the club. This season, Strasbourg sit seventh in the Ligue 1 table and lead the Conference League standings, though Rosenior's departure follows a 1-1 draw at Nice on Saturday -- their fifth league game without a win.
In a statement released by Chelsea, Rosenior expressed his excitement about the new challenge. "I am extremely humbled and honoured to be appointed Head Coach of Chelsea Football Club. This is a club with a unique spirit and a proud history of winning trophies," he said. "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. To be entrusted with this role means the world to me and I want to thank all involved for the opportunity and faith in undertaking this job. I will give everything to bring the success this club deserves."
Rosenior emphasized the importance of team unity in his vision for the Blues. "I believe deeply in teamwork, unity, togetherness and working for one another, and those values will be at the heart of everything we do. They will be the foundation of our success," he added.
Just hours before the official announcement, Rosenior held a farewell news conference in France on Tuesday morning, where he openly discussed his impending move despite not having signed the contract yet. "It looks like I'm going to be the next manager of [Chelsea]," he told reporters. "I haven't signed yet, I have agreed verbally with Chelsea. It's really important, this is different to anything anyone has ever done -- nobody has made a statement before they have signed a contract."
He assured the gathering that the deal was imminent. "Everything is agreed and it will probably go through 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 I move on," Rosenior said, highlighting his respect for Strasbourg.
Rosenior also revealed that he had turned down offers from other prestigious clubs to join Chelsea. "I have had interest from many clubs, including Champions League clubs, which I have always been open with to [our president] Marc [Keller] and our ownership," he explained. "I will love this club for the rest of my life but I cannot turn down Chelsea."
Addressing his readiness for the high-stakes role at Stamford Bridge, Rosenior expressed confidence. "Outside of PSG in France, if Chelsea want a coach, that coach will probably take the Chelsea job," he said. "I would not have accepted the Chelsea job if I was not ready. There are clubs you just cannot turn down. I hope the Strasbourg fans can see that and be proud of that."
The transition has been an emotional one for Rosenior, who described his time at Strasbourg as transformative. "The last 18 months have been a joy and the best of my professional career. I have met some incredible people and created some incredible memories and made history," he reflected. "None of that happens without the investment of our ownership and hard work of our president."
"I am so excited about the future. I have worked my whole life to be a coach and manage a world-class football club," Rosenior continued. "That does bring sadness for what I am leaving behind. This is emotional as it is my last day and time I wake up as a Strasbourg manager. This is football."
Rosenior will not be making the move alone; key members of his backroom staff, including assistants Kalifa Cissé and Justin Walker, are joining him in west London. "I would not be in this position without my unbelievable staff," he said. "I am leaving a lot of really good people behind. What I do know is that a good group of people are coming in. I have never met a person with such emotional intelligence as I have with Kalifa [Cissé]. Sadly for Strasbourg he is coming with me."
The appointment underscores the interconnected nature of the BlueCo ownership model, a consortium led by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital that acquired Chelsea in 2022 and Strasbourg in the summer of 2023. While this multi-club structure has drawn praise for its strategic benefits, it has faced sharp criticism from Strasbourg's supporters, who view it as undermining the club's independence.
Strasbourg's fan base has been vocal in their opposition, staging protests against the ownership. Last weekend's match against Nice began with a five-minute silent protest from traveling supporters, who held "BlueCo Out" signs and a banner reading 'non à la multipropriété' (no to multi-ownership). Following Rosenior's departure announcement, the Fédération Supporters RCS issued a strongly worded statement: "The transfer of Liam Rosenior marks another humiliating step in Racing's subservience to Chelsea. For two and a half years, along with others, we have been trying to raise the alarm about this."
The group continued, "The problem goes far beyond the mid-season sporting impact and the ambitions of a young coach. It is structural; the future of French club football is at stake." This sentiment echoes earlier backlash, such as when captain Emmanuel Emegha was booed by fans during a 1-0 league win against Le Havre on September 14, after it was announced he would join Chelsea in 2026. Supporters from the Ultra Boys group displayed a banner that read: "Emegha, pawn of BlueCo. After changing shirt, give back your captain's armband."
Despite the fan discontent in France, reactions in England have been more measured, with some pundits highlighting Rosenior's potential. Former Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney, who worked with Rosenior, praised him as "as good as I've ever worked with." ESPN analysts Gab Marcotti and Julien Laurens discussed the move positively, with ex-Chelsea defender Frank Lebouef expressing optimism. "I'm optimistic that incoming coach Liam Rosenior will prove a good choice to replace Enzo Maresca at Chelsea," Lebouef said.
Rosenior's relative inexperience at the elite level -- his previous roles were in the English Championship and now Ligue 1 -- adds an element of risk to the appointment, but his rapid rise from Hull City's sacking in 2023 to this Premier League giant speaks to his growing reputation. Sources close to the club indicated that Rosenior had been a favorite for the job, arriving in London earlier this week to edge closer to the deal.
Looking ahead, Rosenior inherits a Chelsea squad brimming with talent but grappling with inconsistency. The 5½-year contract, one of the longest in the club's recent history at Stamford Bridge, signals a commitment to stability amid the turbulence of the Boehly-Clearlake era. As the Blues prepare for Fulham, the football world watches to see if Rosenior can instill the unity he preaches and steer Chelsea back toward trophy contention.
The broader implications of this move extend beyond the pitch, particularly for BlueCo's multi-club strategy. While Strasbourg must now appoint an interim manager and regroup in their title chase in the Conference League, the transfer highlights the tensions inherent in such ownership models. For Chelsea fans, however, the focus remains on ending the recent slump and challenging for the Premier League crown.