'Loved working with you' - Ben Chilwell sends emotional message to Liam Rosenior as his ex-Strasbourg boss heads to former club Chelsea

Chilwell finally departed Chelsea on a permanent basis in the summer, having been frozen out by Maresca at Stamford Bridge before signing for Crystal Palace for the second half of 2024-25. He joined the Blues' sister club Strasbourg, where he worked under Rosenior. Speaking in an interview with the BBC in November, the left-back insisted his then-manager was 'going straight to the top', crediting the coach for his decision to join the French side.

"It wasn't my top choice, but then I spoke to the manager. It was only a 10-minute call, and I rang my agent straight away after and said, 'Yes, let's get Strasbourg done,'" Chilwell revealed. "I'm definitely shocked at the quality. There are a lot of people going straight to the top here, and I include the manager in that."

With Rosenior now heading to the club Chilwell recently left, the England international has sent a heartfelt farewell message to his former head coach - one which will also endear him to Chelsea fans. Posting on his Instagram story, Chilwell wrote alongside a picture of himself with the tactician and a blue 'love heart' emoji: "Loved working with you the last six months, off to an amazing club and I am wishing you all the best gaffer."

Despite being forced out of the first-team setup at Chelsea under Maresca during the 2024-25 season and becoming part of the club's so-called 'bomb squad', training away from the main group, Chilwell clearly has fond memories of his time at Stamford Bridge. After signing for the club in the summer of 2020, the defender would go on to win the Champions League in his debut campaign with the Blues, playing a key role under Thomas Tuchel as a flying wing-back. That feat has ensured he will always hold a special place in the hearts of the Chelsea fanbase despite his sudden fall into relative obscurity.

While his career is at something of a crossroads in France, it seems the 29-year-old will be cheering on his former club and manager from afar. Rosenior will begin work in earnest at Stamford Bridge after watching on from the stands as his new side were defeated 2-1 by west London rivals Fulham on Wednesday night, after Marc Cucurella was sent off in the first half. He will need to hit the ground running if results are to improve.