Chelsea have officially named Liam Rosenior as their new head coach, signing the 41-year-old Englishman to a six-and-a-half-year contract running until 2032.
Rosenior joins from Strasbourg, the French club owned by Chelsea’s parent company, BlueCo.
Rosenior expressed his pride in taking over at Stamford Bridge, saying: “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.”
The new manager will oversee Chelsea’s FA Cup third-round tie at Championship side Charlton Athletic on Saturday, while caretaker Callum McFarlane will manage Wednesday’s Premier League match against Fulham. Rosenior will watch from the stands.
Speaking ahead of the Fulham game, McFarlane praised Rosenior’s style, promising supporters “aggressive, front-foot football.”
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He added: “I spoke to Liam briefly last night. He’s really excited about taking the role. I’ve been told I’m leading the game tomorrow, to try and do as best a job as we can and give him the three points to move on and build from. I really enjoy watching his sides. Aggressive, front-foot football, really good on the ball, good positional-play concepts. Really excited to see the work he’s going to do at this club.”
Earlier on Tuesday, Rosenior confirmed his imminent move to Chelsea at a Strasbourg press conference, saying he was “ready” for the challenge. “I was given permission to speak to one of the biggest clubs in the world. It was an honour to be associated with a club like that and, now, it looks like I will be the next manager of that football club,” he said.
Rosenior enjoyed a 16-year playing career with clubs including Bristol City, Fulham, Reading, Hull City, and Brighton before retiring in 2018. After his playing days, he almost guided Hull City to the Championship play-offs in 2024 and then took over Strasbourg, leading them to a seventh-place Ligue 1 finish last season and securing European football.
Despite limited top-level managerial experience, Rosenior insisted he was ready for the Stamford Bridge role. “I am so excited for the future, my whole life has worked to be a coach and now to be presented this opportunity at a world-class football (club) is something I have always dreamed of,” he said.
Acknowledging the move’s bittersweet nature, Rosenior added: “With that is a mixed emotion of sadness of what I am leaving behind. This is the last day I wake up as Strasbourg manager. I hope the fans here can understand that. I am looking forward to the challenge, if I didn’t think I was ready, I wouldn’t have accepted it. The reality is Strasbourg is not on the level as Chelsea. There are certain clubs you just cannot just turn down. I hope the fans can see that.”
Rosenior replaces Enzo Maresca, who stepped down on January 1 amid growing pressure at Chelsea.
