English manager Liam Rosenior is poised to become the next head coach of Chelsea.
The outgoing Strasbourg boss is scheduled to meet Chelsea’s sporting leadership team today as talks progress over replacing Enzo Maresca, who departed Stamford Bridge on January 1.
Strasbourg, Chelsea’s sister club in France, are already making plans to appoint a replacement for Rosenior. Former Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Gary O’Neill is reportedly among three candidates under consideration.
Chelsea were temporarily placed under the guidance of Under-21 head coach Calum McFarlane, who oversaw the team’s visit to the Etihad Stadium. McFarlane led the Blues to a 1–1 draw against Manchester City, with Enzo Fernández scoring a late equaliser.
Speaking after the match, McFarlane said he had been informed from the outset that he would take charge for the City game, adding that the new manager could arrive as early as Monday. He noted that his focus had been solely on the match and that he would continue in charge until a permanent appointment is made.
Rosenior enjoyed a 16-year playing career with clubs including Bristol City, Fulham, Reading, Hull City and Brighton before retiring in 2018. He later moved into management, narrowly missing out on a Championship play-off spot with Hull City in 2024 before taking charge of Strasbourg, who are owned by Chelsea’s parent company, BlueCo. Under his leadership, the French club finished seventh in Ligue 1 last season.
