Chelsea FC have rolled the dice — and gone all in on Liam Rosenior.

The Blues have confirmed the surprise appointment of the 41-year-old as their new head coach on a monster six-and-a-half-year deal, tying him to Stamford Bridge until 2032.

Englishman Rosenior jetted in to London to seal the move from RC Strasbourg Alsace, Chelsea’s sister club. He replaces Enzo Maresca, whose 19-month reign came to a brutal end on 1st January after a miserable run of one win in seven — and growing rumours of unrest behind the scenes.

Rosenior, a veritable ‘local’ lad who hails from Wandsworth, will officially take charge on Saturday when Chelsea head to Charlton Athletic in the FA Cup third round.

Caretaker boss Callum McFarlane will remain in the dugout for tomorrow night’s Premier League trip to Fulham — with Rosenior watching from the stands. The new man did not hold back as he was unveiled. Talking to CFC’s website, he said:

“I am extremely humbled and honoured to be appointed Head Coach of Chelsea Football Club. This is a club with a unique spirit and a proud history of winning trophies.

“My job is to protect that identity and create a team that reflects these values in every game we play as we continue winning trophies. To be entrusted with this role means the world to me and I want to thank all involved for the opportunity and faith in undertaking this job. I will give everything to bring the success this club deserves.

“I believe deeply in teamwork, unity, togetherness and working for one another, and those values will be at the heart of everything we do. They will be the foundation of our success.

“I am excited to work with this extremely talented group of players and staff, to build strong connections on and off the pitch, and to create an environment where everyone feels united and driven by the same goal.

“There is a real hunger to win, and I will give everything, every single day, to help this team compete and win at the very highest level to make everyone connected and proud to be a part of Chelsea Football Club.

“I want our fans to be proud of who we are and what we represent in every single game that we play. They are the soul of this enormous, historic and huge football club. I cannot wait to meet you all. I cannot wait to get started.”

Rosenior also revealed he had attracted interest from Champions League clubs — but admitted the Chelsea job was simply too big to turn down.

He added: “The last 18 months have been the best of my professional career. I will love Strasbourg for the rest of my life — but I cannot turn down Chelsea.”

As a player, Rosenior turned out for Bristol City, Fulham, Reading, Hull City and Brighton during a 16-year career. After hanging up his boots in 2018, he came close to steering Hull City into the Championship play-offs in 2024 before moving to Strasbourg — a club owned by Chelsea’s parent company BlueCo — guiding them to seventh in Ligue 1 last season.

Despite limited experience at the very top — and having managed barely 100 games — Rosenior insists the job is not too big for him.

The contract alone tells its own story. A deal running until 2032 makes it one of the longest managerial appointments in Chelsea’s history — and a clear statement of faith from the club’s hierarchy.

Now comes the hard part. After mixed results and mounting pressure, the mission is simple: get Chelsea winning again.

The Chelsea Citizen roars: “Welcome to the Bridge, Liam!”