A former Hull City Boss and Strasbourg manager Liam Rosenior has emerged as the leading contender to replace Enzo Maresca as Chelsea head coach. The head hunt comes after the Italian’s sudden departure on Thursday.
45 year-old Maresca left the role less than six months after guiding Chelsea to Club World Cup success, amid reported tensions with the club’s hierarchy and ownership.
Chelsea have now begun the process to appoint his successor, with the 41-year-old Rosenior understood to be the frontrunner, though sources indicate other candidates are also under consideration.
Rosenior’s current club, Strasbourg, is owned by BlueCo, the same investment consortium that acquired Chelsea in 2022. The Englishman, who previously managed Hull City, is said to have significant internal backing at Stamford Bridge. In anticipation of a potential move, Strasbourg are already considering candidates to replace him.
Other names linked with the role include Porto manager Francesco Farioli. Prior to appointing Maresca in 2024, Chelsea had also interviewed Marseille’s Roberto De Zerbi, Ipswich Town’s Kieran McKenna, and Thomas Frank, who has since moved from Brentford to Tottenham.
Chelsea are expected to move swiftly to secure a new head coach ahead of a challenging run of fixtures, which includes matches against Manchester City, Arsenal, and Napoli in the coming weeks.
