Liam Rosenior officially announced on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, that he has reached a verbal agreement to become the next manager of Chelsea, describing the move as a career-defining opportunity. The 41-year-old Englishman addressed the media during an emotional press conference at the Stade de la Meinau, the home of his current club, RC Strasbourg.
Rosenior emerged as the leading candidate to replace Enzo Maresca—who was dismissed last Thursday—due to his impressive tactical record in France and his existing relationship with the BlueCo consortium, which owns both the West London giants and Strasbourg.
The appointment marks a significant promotion for Rosenior, who successfully guided Strasbourg to a seventh-place finish in Ligue 1 last season and maintained an unbeaten European run in the Conference League. Although Chelsea has not yet issued a formal statement, Rosenior traveled to London on Monday for decisive negotiations with the club’s sporting directors. The move makes him the fourth permanent managerial appointment under the BlueCo ownership since 2022, following the tenures of Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter, Mauricio Pochettino, and the recently departed Maresca.
“It looks like I am going to be the next manager of that football club (Chelsea). I haven’t signed yet, I have agreed verbally with Chelsea. It’s really important, this is different to anything anyone has ever done—nobody has made a statement before they have signed a contract. Everything is agreed and it will probably go through in the next few hours. 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 told the assembled journalists in France.
Rosenior’s managerial journey began in 2019 at Derby County, where he served as a coach under Phillip Cocu before becoming a vital assistant to Wayne Rooney. He later moved into a head coaching role at Hull City in the Championship, where he earned plaudits for a possession-based style before his departure in May 2024. While he lacks prior experience managing at the Premier League level, the Chelsea hierarchy values his modern tactical approach and his ability to develop young talent, such as Chelsea loanee Andrey Santos, who flourished under his guidance at Strasbourg.
The incoming coach expressed deep gratitude toward the Strasbourg supporters and president Marc Keller, noting that the decision to leave Alsace was purely motivated by the prestige of the Chelsea role. He confirmed that his coaching staff, including assistants Kalifa Cissé and Justin Walker, will accompany him to Stamford Bridge. While Under-21 coach Calum McFarlane will lead Chelsea for Wednesday’s Premier League match against Fulham, Rosenior expects to take official charge in time for the club’s FA Cup third-round fixture against Charlton Athletic this weekend.
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