London — Chelsea Football Club announced on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, the appointment of Liam Rosenior as the new head coach of the men's team, signing the 41-year-old Englishman to a contract running until the summer of 2032. Rosenior arrives from RC Strasbourg, a sister club under the BlueCo ownership group, where he achieved European qualification in his debut season.
"I am extremely humbled and honoured to be appointed Head Coach of Chelsea Football Club," Rosenior said in a statement on the club's official website. "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."
He continued: "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."
Rosenior expressed excitement about working with Chelsea's talented squad: "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. There is a real hunger to win, and I will give everything, every single day, to help this team compete and win at the very highest level to make everyone connected and proud to be a part of Chelsea Football Club."
Addressing supporters directly, he added: "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."
The appointment follows the departure of Enzo Maresca on January 1, 2026, after a breakdown in relations with the club's hierarchy. Rosenior, who had been at Strasbourg since July 2024, replaces him swiftly, with the move facilitated by the shared ownership structure.
Chelsea's co-sporting directors praised Rosenior's credentials: "Liam has shown that he can build teams with a clear way of playing while setting the highest standards with players on and off the pitch. Liam has the ability to get the best out of this squad quickly and joins us with the responsibility and the backing to ensure Chelsea continues to compete at the top level in all competitions this season and in seasons to come."
Rosenior's coaching career includes spells at Derby County (interim in 2022) and Hull City, where he narrowly missed the Championship play-offs in 2023-24 before his sacking. At Strasbourg, he led a youthful side to seventh in Ligue 1 last season, securing UEFA Conference League football for the first time in 19 years.
His backroom staff will include Strasbourg assistants Kalifa Cissé and Justin Walker, plus head of analysis Ben Warner. Rosenior will observe from the stands during Wednesday's Premier League west London derby against Fulham, managed by caretaker Calum McFarlane. His first match in charge will be Saturday's FA Cup third-round tie away at Charlton Athletic.
The move has drawn criticism from Strasbourg supporters, who view it as evidence of the French club's subservience to Chelsea under multi-club ownership. The Fédération Supporters RCS called it "another humiliating step in Racing's subservience to Chelsea."
Rosenior becomes the fourth permanent head coach since BlueCo's 2022 takeover, following Graham Potter, Mauricio Pochettino, and Maresca. His long-term deal signals ownership's confidence in continuity and youth development.
