Next Chelsea manager: Liam Rosenior rejects 'disrespect' claims, admits Blues interest "a very nice surprise"

Strasbourg boss Liam Rosenior has dismissed suggestions that there is a level of 'disrespect' with regards to his pending move to Chelsea.

On Tuesday morning, the 41-year-old held a press conference to confirm that he was preparing to sign a contract to become the next head coach of the Premier League club.

Courtesy of BlueCo owning both Strasbourg and Chelsea, Rosenior has been the odds-on favourite ever since Enzo Maresca left his role at Stamford Bridge on New Year's Day.

There is a certain level of anger at Strasbourg over the perception that BlueCo has essentially ripped up their plans to have Rosenior at Stade de la Meinau for a number of years in order to try to benefit Chelsea.

Nevertheless, at Tuesday's media briefing, Rosenior feels that no 'disrespect' has been shown during the process.

Rosenior compares Chelsea to Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Barcelona

Although Rosenior has expressed his love for Strasbourg, he has conceded that interest from Chelsea was "a very nice surprise".

He said: "When I was notified of the interest, it was a very nice surprise. I've said before, it's not where you finish in the league, it's the way your team plays.

"I've had interest from Champions League clubs that I've turned down because I wanted to be here.

"This was not part of the plan [to leave now]. But it's here, and it's an opportunity I don't think many would turn down."

Rosenior added: "If it wasn't Chelsea, a different club of the same standard - PSG, Real Madrid, Barcelona, would this move be seen as disrespectful, less or more? That's the business of football. It isn't the first time a manager has moved in the middle of a season.

"Clubs will head hunt people and clubs will pay money for people who they think will help them win."

Why Rosenior could not turn down Chelsea

Earlier in the press conference, Rosenior claimed that he was not in a position to reject any opportunity to become Chelsea manager.

As someone who was born less than three miles away from Chelsea in Wandsworth and who played 92 games for neighbours Fulham during his playing career, Rosenior is familiar with the area.

Furthermore, this is a manager who was sacked by Hull City in May 2024, despite a seventh-placed finish in the Championship.

Rosenior was provided with a surprise opportunity at Strasbourg and he ultimately delivered in his first season through qualification for the Conference League.

While other attractive opportunities would have inevitably been presented to Rosenior in due course, Chelsea is, by far, the most high-profile job that would have come his way.