Chelsea Football Club has officially announced Liam Rosenior as their new head coach, signing him on a six-and-a-half-year deal that runs until 2032. This appointment sees Rosenior, at 41 years old, replace Enzo Maresca, who departed the club on January 1. Rosenior's lengthy contract is consistent with Chelsea's recent strategy of handing out long-term deals to both players and staff, reflecting a commitment to stability and future development within the club.

Before joining Chelsea, Rosenior served as head coach for Strasbourg, a club also under the BlueCo ownership group, since July 2024. During his tenure, he guided the French club to a seventh-place finish in Ligue 1 last season. He leaves Strasbourg after a 1-1 draw at Nice, with the team currently sitting seventh in the league table and leading their Conference League group, despite a recent five-game winless streak in the league.

Rosenior expressed his profound sentiments regarding the new role, stating, "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. 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 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." He also confirmed that key members of his backroom staff, including Kalifa Cisse, Justin Walker, and Ben Warner, would be joining him at Stamford Bridge.

The announcement followed a farewell news conference Rosenior held in France, where he verbally confirmed his agreement with Chelsea before the official signing. He articulated the difficulty of turning down such a prestigious opportunity, even with interest from other "Champions League clubs," highlighting his readiness for the challenge. Frank Leboeuf, a former Chelsea player, has expressed optimism about Rosenior's choice as Maresca's replacement.

Rosenior will be in the stands at Craven Cottage for Chelsea's Premier League match against Fulham on Wednesday, with under-21s coach Calum McFarlane overseeing the game. Rosenior will then take charge of his first training session on Thursday, ahead of his debut match as head coach in Saturday's FA Cup third-round tie against Championship side Charlton Athletic.

The decision to appoint Rosenior to such a long contract aligns with Chelsea's broader strategy of securing talent on extended deals. Currently, no Chelsea players have contracts expiring in 2026, with many extending well into the 2030s. Notable long-term contracts include:

• Contract expires June 30, 2033: Cole Palmer, João Pedro, Dário Essugo, Estêvão
• Contract expires June 30, 2032: Enzo Fernández, Jamie Gittens, Alejandro Garnacho, Jorrel Hato, Liam Rosenior (Manager)
• Contract expires June 30, 2031: Pedro Neto, Mykhaylo Mudryk, Filip Jørgensen, Liam Delap, Moisés Caicedo
• Contract expires June 30, 2030: Robert Sánchez, Benoît Badiashile, Malo Gusto, Roméo Lavia, Andrey Santos
• Contract expires June 30, 2029: Axel Disasi, Wesley Fofana, Levi Colwill, Marc Guiu, Josh Acheampong
• Contract expires June 30, 2028: Tosin Adarabioyo, Marc Cucurella, Trevoh Chalobah, Reece James, Gabriel Slonina
• Contract expires June 30, 2027: Raheem Sterling, Tyrique George

However, Rosenior's move has not been met with universal approval. Strasbourg's Supporters Federation (FSRCS) launched a scathing attack, labelling the transfer "another humiliating step in Racing's subservience to Chelsea." They strongly oppose the BlueCo multi-club ownership model, viewing it as detrimental to Strasbourg's identity and French football as a whole. The federation criticized club president Marc Keller for his role in the sale to BlueCo and the subsequent transfer of their coach, emphasizing their ongoing protests against multi-ownership, which were evident in Rosenior's final game in charge with "BlueCo Out" signs and banners reading 'non à la multipropriété'.