Liam Rosenior was confirmed as English Premier League club Chelsea’s new head coach on Tuesday following the departure of Enzo Maresca.
The 41-year-old Englishman has signed a deal until 2032, becoming the fourth full-time head coach appointed since the club was taken over by American Todd Boehly in 2022.
“I am extremely humbled and honoured to be appointed head coach of Chelsea Football Club,” Rosenior, who leaves his post at French club Racing Strasbourg, said in a club statement.
“This is a club with a unique spirit and a proud history of winning trophies.”
London-born Rosenior, whose playing career included spells at Fulham, Hull City and Brighton and Hove Albion, took charge of Strasbourg in July 2024 after coaching spells at Derby County and Hull in England’s second tier.
While he is relatively inexperienced as a top-level coach, his reputation has grown after leading Strasbourg to European qualification following a seventh-placed finish in Ligue 1.
“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,” he said.
“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.”
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca. (Martin Rickett)
Rosenior became the leading candidate to replace Maresca, thanks in large part to Strasbourg and Chelsea being part of the same multi-club ownership structure, with the French club taken over by Boehly’s consortium BlueCo in 2023.
His immediate task will be to turn around Chelsea’s form after a run of only one win in eight Premier League games and his first game in charge is likely to be a London derby away at Fulham on Wednesday.
Chelsea were third in the standings in November and being tipped as title contenders, but have since slipped to fifth and are 17 points behind leaders Arsenal after 20 matches.
Maresca led Chelsea back into the Champions League and won the Fifa Club World Cup last year, but his relationship with the club became increasingly acrimonious.
Rosenior will be tasked with steadying the ship and getting the most out of an expensively assembled squad full of international household names, a contrast to his time at Strasbourg, where he worked with an unsung squad.
“I am excited to work with this extremely talented group of players and staff, to build strong connections on and off the pitch, and to create an environment where everyone feels united and driven by the same goal,” he said. — Martyn Herman