Ciaran Morrison
Sat 10 January 2026 8:30, UK
Liam Rosenior’s appointment as Chelsea manager was not the quick and easy option for the club.
That is according to football finance expert Dr Dan Plumley, who has exclusively told Football Insider that he believes Rosenior may have been lined up as a future Chelsea boss.
Chelsea and Strasbourg are part of BlueCo’s multi-club ownership model, and Rosenior joined the Blues from the French club following the sacking of Enzo Maresca.
Rosenior’s appointment underwhelmed some Chelsea fans, and the 41-year-old has been handed a six-and-a-half year contract at Stamford Bridge.
Incoming Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior
Credit: Imago
Liam Rosenior was a ‘future successor’ at Chelsea
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, Plumley believes any manager now comes with “risk attached.”
“I think there is a challenge with getting managers in mid-season, in terms of availability, and we all know that,” Plumley said.
“But, look, this might have been something that was in the pipeline for further down the line. He’s obviously a young manager. His stock is pretty high at the moment.
MORE FOOTBALL INSIDER STORIES
“It’s a risk and a challenge. There’s no guarantee with any of these, and it comes with risk attached. But it might be that they’ve been lining him up as a future successor anyway, as part of that multi-club model.
“So it will be interesting to see how he gets off. I don’t think any manager comes cheap nowadays. You know, we’ve seen him sign a six-and-a-half-year contract or five and a half with an option to add another year, however it’s structured.
“And we know that, you know, there will be significant compensation fees built into that contract. So if he doesn’t last out that full term, the compensation payout as well. So, yeah, I don’t think any managerial appointment comes cheap nowadays.”
Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly at Stamford Bridge
Credit: Imago
Chelsea hit by £10m blow after Enzo Maresca sacking
Maresca could be entitled up to £10m in compensation following his departure from Chelsea, with three years left on his contract.
It is the fourth managerial departure at Stamford Bridge under BlueCo since they took over the club from Roman Abramovich in 2022.
Rosenior will begin his tenure in the dugout against Charlton in the FA Cup after only watching Chelsea’s 2-1 defeat at Fulham from the stands.