Liam Rosenior Set to Take Over as Chelsea Manager
Liam Rosenior, the manager of Strasbourg, has announced that he has "verbally agreed" to take over as the new manager of Chelsea. The 41-year-old Englishman is poised to succeed Enzo Maresca, who departed the club on New Year's Day.
Rosenior expressed his enthusiasm for the opportunity, stating, "I cannot turn down this opportunity to join an incredible club, with an incredible squad that are Club World Cup champions."
Strasbourg is part of the BlueCo multi-club ownership group, which is owned by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital, and also includes Chelsea.
Although Rosenior has yet to sign a formal contract, he mentioned, "Everything is agreed, and it will probably go through in the next few hours."
He emphasized his commitment to Strasbourg, saying, "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 confirmed that several members of his coaching staff, including first-team coach Kalifa Cisse, assistant head coach Justin Walker, and head of analysis Ben Warner, will accompany him to Chelsea.
Having joined Strasbourg in July 2024, Rosenior successfully led the team to a seventh-place finish in Ligue 1 last season, securing European football for the first time in eight years. His final match with Strasbourg ended in a 1-1 draw against Nice, marking their fifth consecutive league game without a win. Currently, they sit seventh in Ligue 1 and are leading in the Conference League.
Reflecting on his time at Strasbourg, Rosenior stated, "The last 18 months have been a joy and the best of my professional career. I will love this club for the rest of my life, but I cannot turn down Chelsea."