Liam Rosenior, the 41-year-old former Hull City and Strasbourg manager, has emerged as the favourite to replace Enzo Maresca at Chelsea. The London club’s hierarchy are reportedly impressed by his tactical acumen, media savvy and familiarity with their multi-club model, having managed Strasbourg under the BlueCo umbrella.
Rosenior’s coaching journey began at Brighton’s under-23 side, followed by a stint as assistant to Wayne Rooney at Derby County. He later took interim charge at Derby before earning the permanent role at Hull City, where he led the Tigers to a seventh-placed Championship finish in 2023-24. Despite being sacked by Hull, he moved to Strasbourg in 2024-25, where his side impressed with a fluid 3-2-5 formation in possession and a high press.
A key factor in Chelsea’s interest is Rosenior’s ability to build on Maresca’s tactics without wholesale changes. He is also well acquainted with the club’s squad, having overseen Andrey Santos’s breakthrough season on loan at Strasbourg, while striker Emmanuel Emegha is set to join Chelsea next summer.
Rosenior cites Wayne Rooney and NFL legend Bill Belichick as influences, and has spoken about the value of his media work in shaping his coaching philosophy. He would become just the 10th permanent black manager in Premier League history, a statistic he is acutely aware of given his father Leroy’s work as an anti-racism campaigner.
Despite not speaking French during his time at Strasbourg, Rosenior impressed players and executives with his intelligence and ambition. He has also expressed a desire to manage England in the future, though his immediate focus is on the potential move to Stamford Bridge.
