Chelsea have appointed Liam Rosenior as their new head coach, handing the 41-year-old a contract running until 2032 as the club continues its search for long-term stability on the touchline.
Rosenior arrives at Stamford Bridge after an 18-month spell in charge of French Ligue 1 side Strasbourg, a club owned by BlueCo — the same consortium that controls Chelsea. His appointment follows the departure of Enzo Maresca, who was relieved of his duties on New Year’s Day.
The former Premier League defender becomes Chelsea’s fifth permanent head coach since 2021, following Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter, Mauricio Pochettino and Maresca, underlining the club’s recent managerial turbulence.
Speaking after his unveiling, Rosenior expressed pride and determination at being handed one of football’s most demanding jobs.
“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,” Rosenior said.
“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 added that connecting with supporters and building unity within the squad will be central to his approach.
“I want our fans to be proud of who we are and what we represent in every single game. They are the soul of this enormous, historic football club.”
Rosenior’s rise through the coaching ranks has been steady rather than spectacular. After a 17-year playing career featuring spells at Brighton & Hove Albion, Hull City, Reading and Fulham, he retired in 2018 and immediately moved into coaching at Brighton as assistant manager of the Under-23 side.
He later joined Derby County, where he served in several capacities, including a 12-match stint as caretaker manager at the start of the 2022/23 season. Rosenior was later appointed permanently, overseeing 78 matches across one-and-a-half seasons.
During the 2023/24 campaign, he narrowly missed out on a Championship playoff spot with Derby, finishing seventh — just three points behind Norwich City. His progress earned him a move to Strasbourg in 2024/25, where he guided the French side to a seventh-place finish and qualification for the UEFA Conference League.
This season, Strasbourg sit seventh in Ligue 1, six points off sixth-placed Rennes, and have already reached the knockout stages of the Conference League after an impressive league-phase campaign that yielded five wins and one draw.
Rosenior’s tenure at Chelsea could begin almost immediately, with a potential first match away to Fulham in the Premier League on Wednesday night. That fixture starts a demanding run of five consecutive London-based matches across four competitions.
The Blues will then face Charlton Athletic in the FA Cup, before returning to Stamford Bridge for clashes against Arsenal in the EFL Cup, Brentford in the Premier League, and Cypriot side Pafos in the UEFA Champions League.
For Chelsea, the appointment signals a clear statement of intent — a long-term bet on a young coach tasked with restoring identity, consistency and silverware at one of England’s biggest clubs.
