Liam Rosenior, who has signed a contract with the club until 2032, will bring his assistants from Strasbourg.
Published On 6 Jan 2026
Premier League club Chelsea have announced the appointment of Strasbourg boss Liam Rosenior as their new head coach to replace Enzo Maresca.
The Englishman, who has signed a contract until 2032, said in a club statement on Tuesday that he was “extremely humbled and honoured to be appointed”.
“This is a club with a unique spirit and a proud history of winning trophies,” he added. “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.”
In an earlier news conference for Strasbourg, Rosenior confirmed reaching a verbal agreement with Chelsea.
“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,” he said.
Rosenior added that he would take his assistants, Kalifa Cisse and Justin Walker, with him to the Premier League club.
The 41-year-old, who joined Ligue 1 side Racing Strasbourg in 2024, said his time at the club had been the most rewarding period of his career after spells at Derby County and Hull City.
“The last 18 months have been a joy and the best of my professional career,” Rosenior said. “I have met some incredible people, created incredible memories and made history.”
He said he had been transparent with Strasbourg’s ownership about outside interest.
“I have had interest from many clubs, including Champions League clubs, which I have always been open with to our president, Marc Keller, and our ownership,” Rosenior said. “I will love this club for the rest of my life, but I cannot turn down Chelsea.”
Little-known Rosenior had been widely touted as the frontrunner to succeed Maresca since the Italian was sacked on Thursday, not least because Strasbourg and Chelsea are owned by the same consortium, BlueCo.
Rosenior, who has no Premier League coaching experience, will become Chelsea’s fourth permanent boss since BlueCo took control of the Londoners in 2022.
