Chelsea have announced the appointment of Liam Rosenior as the club’s new head coach.
Rosenior has signed a contract until 2032 and arrives after 18 months coaching Ligue 1 side Strasbourg, who are under the ownership of BlueCo, the same organisation in charge of Chelsea.
The 41-year-old arrives after Enzo Maresca was relieved of his duties on New Year's Day.
He becomes the club's fifth permanent head coach since 2021, after Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter, Mauricio Pochettino and Maresca.
What did Rosenior say?
"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 on Chelsea's website.
"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. 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. I will give everything to bring the success this club deserves.
"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.
"I want our fans to be proud of who we are and what we represent in every single game that we play. They are the soul of this enormous, historic and huge football club.
"I cannot wait to meet you all. I cannot wait to get started."
Rosenior's managerial career
Following a 17-year playing career, which included spells with Brighton & Hove Albion, Hull City, Reading and Fulham in the Premier League, Rosenior retired at the end of the 2017/18 season.
His first role in coaching came with Brighton in August 2018, as the club's assistant manager for the Under-23 side.
He then had a variety of roles at Derby County, which included 12 matches as caretaker manager at the start of the 2022/23 season.
Rosenior's first appointment as a permanent manager was at Hull, where he took charge of 78 matches across one-and-a-half seasons.
In 2023/24, Rosenior nearly guided the club to the Championship playoffs as they finished seventh.
Then in 2024/25, he moved to French side Strasbourg and oversaw a seventh-placed finish, which meant that the club secured qualification for this season's UEFA Conference League.
Rosenior leaves Strasbourg in seventh place in Ligue 1, six points off Rennes in sixth.
They have also qualified for the knockout stages of the Conference League, having won five and drawn one of their matches in the league phase.
What are Rosenior's first five Chelsea matches?
Interim manager Calum McFarlane says he will be "leading the game" against Fulham on Wednesday evening, which means Rosenior's first match in charge could come in the FA Cup at Charlton Athletic on Saturday - the first of five successive fixtures in London across four different competitions.
Chelsea have three successive home matches, against Arsenal in the first leg of the EFL Cup semi-final, then Brentford in the Premier League, and Cypriot side Pafos in the UEFA Champions League. They then make the short trip to south London to face Crystal Palace.
Chelsea's first five matches under Rosenior
| Date | Match | Competition |
|---|---|---|
| 10 Jan | Charlton (A) | FA Cup |
| 14 Jan | Arsenal (H) | EFL Cup |
| 17 Jan | Brentford (H) | Premier League |
| 21 Jan | Pafos (H) | Champions League |
| 25 Jan | Crystal Palace (A) | Premier League |