Chelsea are moving closer to the appointment of Liam Rosenior as their new head coach after the 41-year-old arrived in London on Sunday, sources have told ESPN.
Rosenior took charge of Strasbourg’s 0-0 draw away at Nice on Saturday and claimed after the game that he was yet to discuss the move with Chelsea. Those talks are now expected to accelerate with Rosenior the club’s preferred candidate.
Strasbourg’s position within the same ownership group — BlueCo completed their takeover of the Blues in 2022 — is set to make the process smoother. Rosenior flew to London with Strasbourg president Marc Keller and sporting director David Weir.
A deal is yet to be finalised but there is a growing expectation the situation could progress quickly and a formal announcement may come in the next few days, perhaps before Wednesday’s match away to Fulham.
Chelsea parted company with Enzo Maresca on Thursday with under-21s boss Calum McFarlane asked to step up to manage his first senior game at Manchester City.
Sunday’s clash at Etihad Stadium ended in a 1-1 draw as Enzo Fernández‘s 94th-minute equaliser cancelled out Tijjani Reijnders‘ first-half opener.
McFarlane was asked after the game what the schedule for the next few days looked like.
“We’re training tomorrow,” he said. “Unless I’m told otherwise this evening, I’ll be taking that session. My sole focus has obviously been on this game, the challenge that this is. But until I’m told otherwise, I’ll lead the team so for this moment, I am taking the team tomorrow.
“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 that the new manager would be in on Monday, that’s what I was told originally.
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“Obviously it is Sunday now, we have been solely focused on the game. So I’m sure I could get more information once I am out of this press conference but for all I know the new manager will be in shortly and I will lead the team until he’s in.”
McFarlane also hailed Chelsea’s reaction to a turbulent few days which also included the loss of defender Wesley Fofana to a virus and goalkeeper Robert Sánchez with a muscular problem.
“I think the most impressive thing is probably the players,” he said. “One-nil down at the Etihad, interim manager, players falling ill on the day of the game, the day before the game, all the change and for them to regroup, take that information on and execute it speaks volumes about the characters we have at this club.
“Young players in those moments may crumble but I thought they were exceptional.”
Former Bournemouth and Wolves boss Gary O’Neill is one of three candidates to replace Rosenior at Strasbourg, sources have told ESPN.
