London
Chelsea have appointed former Strasbourg manager Liam Rosenior as their new head coach, handing the 41-year-old Englishman a long-term contract that will keep him at Stamford Bridge until 2032. The Premier League club confirmed the appointment on Tuesday, just days after Enzo Maresca left the role following a deterioration in his relationship with senior club executives.
Rosenior, who has limited top-flight managerial experience and has never coached in the Premier League, said the chance to manage Chelsea was “an opportunity I could not turn down”. He arrives from French Ligue 1 side Strasbourg, where he guided the club to a seventh-place finish last season. Strasbourg and Chelsea are both owned by the BlueCo consortium, led by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital, giving Chelsea’s leadership direct insight into Rosenior’s work.
Speaking before the move was made official, Rosenior said he wanted to personally address Strasbourg supporters because of his strong connection with the club. In a statement released by Chelsea, he described the appointment as a significant honour. “This is a club with a proud history and a winning identity,” he said. “My responsibility is to protect that tradition and build a team that reflects those values.”
Rosenior has just three years’ experience as a senior manager, having previously coached Hull City in the Championship before moving to Strasbourg in July 2024. Despite his lack of experience at elite level, Chelsea said he had demonstrated a clear footballing philosophy and strong leadership qualities. The club added that while player development would remain a key focus, expectations at Stamford Bridge remained high.
The appointment makes Rosenior Chelsea’s fourth permanent head coach since the club’s takeover in 2022, highlighting continued instability in the dugout during the new ownership era. Chelsea confirmed that interim manager Calum McFarlane will remain in charge for Wednesday’s Premier League match against Fulham, with Rosenior expected to begin work at the club’s Cobham training ground later this week. His first match as head coach is set to come in the FA Cup at the weekend.
McFarlane described Rosenior’s teams as playing “aggressive, front-foot football” and said the appointment could inspire a new generation of English coaches. No English manager has won the Premier League title since its formation in 1992.
As a player, Rosenior featured in both the Premier League and Championship for clubs including Fulham, Reading and Hull City. He later moved into coaching at Derby County, where he briefly served as caretaker manager. He is the son of former footballer and manager Leroy Rosenior.
Chelsea are currently fifth in the Premier League table, 17 points behind leaders Arsenal, and have managed just one win in their past eight league matches. Maresca departed on New Year’s Day despite having won the UEFA Conference League and Club World Cup earlier in the season. Whether Rosenior can stabilise Chelsea’s campaign and justify the club’s long-term faith in him will be closely watched in the months ahead.
