Chelsea Football Club has officially announced the appointment of Liam Rosenior as the new head coach of their men's team, succeeding Enzo Maresca who departed on New Year's Day. The 41-year-old Englishman has signed a comprehensive contract with the club, extending until 2032, a deal widely reported as six-and-a-half years. Rosenior's arrival at Stamford Bridge marks a significant new chapter for the club, with expectations high for the former Strasbourg manager.

Rosenior comes to Chelsea with a notable record from his time coaching overseas with RC Strasbourg, where he achieved European qualification for the first time in 19 years during his inaugural season. His earlier coaching roles in England included stints with Hull City and Derby County, where he served as caretaker manager for 12 matches. This appointment makes Rosenior Chelsea's fourth permanent managerial selection since the Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital-owned BlueCo consortium took control of the club in 2022, following Roman Abramovich's ownership.

Expressing his profound feelings on the appointment, Rosenior stated, '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.' He emphasized his core philosophy: '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. I believe deeply in teamwork, unity, togetherness and working for one another, and those values will be at the heart of everything we do. They will be the foundation of our success.' Rosenior also conveyed his excitement to work with the 'extremely talented group of players and staff' and his commitment to bringing sustained success to the club.

Chelsea's leadership highlighted Rosenior's ability to 'build teams with a clear way of playing while setting the highest standards with players on and off the pitch.' While acknowledging the club's continued focus on player development, they affirmed that Chelsea's 'expectations and ambitions remain high.' Rosenior is entrusted with the responsibility and backing to ensure the team competes at the highest level in all competitions, starting this season.

The transition will see Rosenior in the stands at Craven Cottage when Chelsea faces Fulham in the Premier League on Wednesday, with interim boss Calum McFarlane remaining in charge for that fixture. Rosenior will then take charge of his first training session on Thursday, leading up to his inaugural match as head coach: Saturday's FA Cup third-round meeting with Charlton Athletic. He also confirmed that his key coaching staff from Strasbourg – first-team coach Kalifa Cisse, assistant head coach Justin Walker, and head of analysis Ben Warner – will be joining him at Stamford Bridge.

The connection between Strasbourg and Chelsea is noteworthy, as Strasbourg is part of the BlueCo multi-club ownership group, providing a familiar context for Rosenior's move. Interim manager Calum McFarlane lauded Rosenior's appointment, calling it inspirational for young English coaches, noting that no English manager has won the Premier League title since its inception in 1992. Chelsea currently sits fifth in the Premier League, 17 points behind Arsenal, with a recent record of just one win in their last eight league games, setting the stage for Rosenior to make an immediate impact.