Liam Rosenior confirms verbal agreement to become new Chelsea head coach following Enzo Maresca dismissal – ‘I am so excited’

Rosenior, the current manager of Strasbourg, met the media in France to answer questions about his future on Tuesday and, while insisting that he had not yet signed his contract with Chelsea, he said that he expected the deal to be completed in the “next few hours.”

He added: “I haven’t signed yet, I have agreed verbally with Chelsea. It’s really important, this is different to anything anyone has ever done – nobody has made a statement before they have signed a contract.

“Everything is agreed and it will probably go through in the next few hours. I’m here because I care about this club and I felt it was right to answer your questions physically here today before I move on.”

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Former Hull City head coach Rosenior has spent the past 18 months in charge of Strasbourg, the Ligue 1 club also owned BlueCo, Chelsea’s parent company.

He guided Strasbourg to a seventh-placed finish in France’s top tier last season. They currently occupy the same position and finished top of the UEFA Conference League league phase.

“The last 18 months have been a joy and the best of my professional career,” Rosenior said. “I have met some incredible people and created some incredible memories and made history.

“None of that happens without the investment of our ownership and hard work of our president.

“I have had interest from many clubs, including Champions League clubs, which I have always been open with to (club president) Marc (Keller) and our ownership. I will love this club for the rest of my life but I cannot turn down Chelsea.”

Rosenior also confirmed that his assistants, Kalifa Cisse and Justin Walker, as well as head of analysis, Ben Warner, would be leaving Strasbourg to join him at Chelsea.

“I would not be in this position without my unbelievable staff,” he said. “I am leaving a lot of really good people behind. What I do know is that a good group of people are coming in.

“I have never met a person with such emotional intelligence as I have with Kalifa. Sadly for Strasbourg he is coming with me.”

Rosenior asserted he “would not have accepted the Chelsea job” if he did not feel “ready” to take on the challenges of leading a club competing in the Premier League and UEFA Champions League.

“There are clubs you just cannot turn down,” he said. “I hope the Strasbourg fans can see that and be proud of that.”

He added: “I am so excited about the future. I have worked my whole life to be a coach and manage a world-class football club.

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“That does bring sadness for what I am leaving behind. This is emotional as it is my last day and time I wake up as a Strasbourg manager. This is football.”

During his reign at Strasbourg, Rosenior has worked with several young Chelsea talents on loan at the French club, including Kendry Paez, Mike Penders and Mamadou Sarr. He has also managed forward Emmanuel Emegha, who will be joining Chelsea in the summer.

Rosenior said any coach in world football “outside of PSG in France” would take the Chelsea job if offered to them, and used that to point towards Strasbourg’s progress in recent years.

“I find it incredible to think that anyone would think I would just take the Strasbourg coach and put him in at Chelsea,” Rosenior said. “It shows how far Strasbourg has come. It is a respectful thing.”

Chelsea are fifth in the Premier League and face Fulham on Wednesday.