Liam Rosenior has flown to London to finalise his expected appointment as Chelsea head coach.
As BBC Sport reported on Thursday, Strasbourg boss Rosenior is the leading candidate to replace Enzo Maresca, who has left Stamford Bridge.
Talks to appoint Rosenior are at an advanced stage, and the 41-year-old is in the capital to complete formalities before he is named as Maresca’s successor.
BlueCo – the investment vehicle set up to purchase Chelsea in 2022 – has started the process of identifying candidates to replace Rosenior at sister club Strasbourg.
Chelsea caretaker manager Calum McFarlane says “there’s a chance” the new boss will be in place on Monday.
Under-21s coach McFarlane stepped in after Maresca parted company with Chelsea following disagreements with leadership figures at the club.
McFarlane’s Chelsea drew 1-1 away at title challengers Manchester City on Sunday thanks to an equaliser in the closing moments from midfielder Enzo Fernandez.
Speaking after the match, McFarlane said: “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 the new manager will be in on Monday – that’s what I was told originally.
“Obviously, it’s Sunday now. We’ve been solely focused on the game. I’m sure I’ll get more information once I’m out of this press conference. But as far as I know, the new manager will be in shortly and I’ll lead the team until he’s in.”
Rosenior took charge of Strasbourg’s 1-1 draw at Nice on Saturday and was photographed at Strasbourg airport by French football publication L’Equipe on Sunday, sitting alongside the club’s sporting director David Weir.
The appointment is complicated mainly by Strasbourg – who share the same American ownership as Chelsea – needing a replacement, as talks remain ongoing with multiple candidates.
Former Wolves manager Gary O’Neil is understood to have held talks with Strasbourg about taking the job.
Weir, along with Strasbourg president Marc Keller, is overseeing the process of appointing a successor to Rosenior amid concerns from sections of the French club’s fanbase about the switch across the multi-club divide.
There is not expected to be any friction on the Chelsea side.
The new Blues boss – presumably Rosenior – will inherit a squad of players who won Chelsea’s second Club World Cup title only six months ago.
Yet they sit only fifth in the Premier League, out of the title race after a major dip in December under Maresca.
There is plenty to play for, though, and Fernandez’s stoppage-time equaliser at Manchester City was just reward for a battling Chelsea performance in difficult circumstances.
Before kick-off, starting goalkeeper Robert Sanchez withdrew after failing to shake off a muscle injury sustained in the warm-up before the midweek draw with Bournemouth, while defender Wesley Fofana missed out through illness.
Chelsea competed well until the closing stages of the first half, when Manchester City took the lead through Tijjani Reijnders.
A series of McFarlane substitutions made a difference after the interval. First, Andrey Santos came on in midfield for attacker Estevao Willian, and a reshuffle pushed eventual scorer Fernandez into a more advanced position.
Midway through the second half, the introductions of Jorrel Hato for Josh Acheampong in defence and Liam Delap for Joao Pedro in attack proved significant when it came to the equaliser.
Malo Gusto moved out to the right and provided the cross, while Delap’s run occupied defenders before Fernandez scored with his third attempt from close range.
After the match, Chelsea’s squad celebrated their hard-earned point together, including injured or suspended players such as Sanchez, Levi Colwill, Marc Cucurella and Moises Caicedo, who all travelled to Manchester.
McFarlane said: “All the lads that are injured or suspended, they’re all here. Levi [Colwill] is here. They’re supporting the lads in the changing room, they’re around it. You don’t get that everywhere.
“They care so much about this group and the players and their mates. We’ve had everything against us, but this group has shown that when their backs are against the wall, they’ve got the talent and character to be successful. I’m really, really proud of the whole group.”
Chelsea are three points behind fourth-placed Liverpool but only four points ahead of 14th-placed Crystal Palace.
They next face Fulham – one of Rosenior’s former clubs from his playing days – in the Premier League on Wednesday, then Charlton await in the FA Cup third round on Saturday.
After that, they have a Carabao Cup semi-final at home to Arsenal the following Wednesday.
