Rosenior previously managed Hull City in the Championship before taking over at Strasbourg.
Liam Rosenior has reportedly traveled to London to finalize his anticipated appointment as Chelsea’s head coach.
As BBC Sport reported Thursday, Strasbourg’s Rosenior is the leading candidate to succeed Enzo Maresca, who recently departed Stamford Bridge.
Discussions to secure Rosenior’s services are at an advanced stage, and the 41-year-old is in London to complete the necessary procedures before being officially named Maresca’s replacement.
BlueCo – the investment group that acquired Chelsea in 2022 – has initiated the process of identifying potential candidates to fill Rosenior’s vacancy at its sister club, Strasbourg.
Chelsea’s caretaker manager, Calum McFarlane, indicated that “there’s a chance” the new manager will be in place by Monday.
Under-21s coach McFarlane stepped in after Maresca left Chelsea due to disagreements with key figures within the club’s hierarchy.
McFarlane’s Chelsea secured a 1-1 draw against title contenders Manchester City on Sunday, courtesy of a late equalizer from midfielder Enzo Fernandez.
Speaking after the match, McFarlane stated: “When I first took the job, I was told I would take the Manchester City game. So that was three days with the group.
“There’s a chance the new manager will be in on Monday – that’s what I was told originally.
“Obviously, it’s Sunday now. We’ve been solely focused on the game. I’m sure I’ll get more information once I’m out of this press conference. But as far as I know, the new manager will be in shortly and I’ll lead the team until he’s in.”
Rosenior oversaw Strasbourg’s 1-1 draw at Nice on Saturday and was reportedly seen at Strasbourg airport on Sunday by French football publication L’Equipe, alongside the club’s sporting director, David Weir.
The appointment is complicated, primarily because Strasbourg – who share the same American ownership as Chelsea – require a replacement, and discussions are ongoing with several candidates.
Former Wolves manager Gary O’Neil is believed to have engaged in talks with Strasbourg regarding the managerial position.
Weir, along with Strasbourg president Marc Keller, is leading the search for Rosenior’s successor amid concerns from some of the French club’s supporters regarding the move across the multi-club structure.
No obstacles are anticipated from Chelsea’s perspective.
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The new Blues manager – presumably Rosenior – will inherit a squad of players who secured Chelsea’s second Club World Cup title just six months ago.
However, they currently sit fifth in the Premier League, having fallen out of the title race following a significant dip in form in December under Maresca.
Nevertheless, there is still much to play for, and Fernandez’s late equalizer against Manchester City was a deserved reward for Chelsea’s resilient performance in challenging circumstances.
Prior to kick-off, starting goalkeeper Robert Sanchez withdrew due to a muscle injury sustained during the warm-up before the midweek draw with Bournemouth, while defender Wesley Fofana was absent due to illness.
Chelsea competed well until the latter stages of the first half, when Manchester City took the lead through Tijjani Reijnders.
Several substitutions by McFarlane proved impactful after the break. First, Andrey Santos replaced attacker Estevao Willian in midfield, prompting a reshuffle that saw Fernandez move into a more advanced role.
Midway through the second half, the introductions of Jorrel Hato for Josh Acheampong in defense and Liam Delap for Joao Pedro in attack proved significant in the lead-up to the equalizer.
Malo Gusto moved to the right wing and provided the cross, while Delap’s run occupied defenders, allowing Fernandez to score with his third attempt from close range.
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Chelsea have a special group of players – McFarlane
Following the match, the Chelsea squad celebrated their hard-earned point together, including injured or suspended players such as Sanchez, Levi Colwill, Marc Cucurella, and Moises Caicedo, all of whom traveled to Manchester.
McFarlane said: “All the lads that are injured or suspended, they’re all here. Levi [Colwill] is here. They’re supporting the lads in the changing room, they’re around it. You don’t get that everywhere.
“They care so much about this group and the players and their mates. We’ve had everything against us, but this group has shown that when their backs are against the wall, they’ve got the talent and character to be successful. I’m really, really proud of the whole group.”
Chelsea are three points behind fourth-placed Liverpool but only four points ahead of 14th-placed Crystal Palace.
They next face Fulham – one of Rosenior’s former clubs from his playing days – in the Premier League on Wednesday, followed by a match against Charlton in the FA Cup third round on Saturday.
After that, they have a Carabao Cup semi-final at home to Arsenal the following Wednesday.
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