Chelsea 'intensify' talks over naming Liam Rosenior as Enzo Maresca's replacement as timeline for Strasbourg boss' appointment emerges

The writing may have been on the wall for Maresca when he said in the first half of December that the 48 hours prior to their 2-0 win over Everton were "the worst since I joined the club because people didn't support me and the team". It seems the 2-2 draw with Bournemouth last time out was the final straw, with the Blues swinging the axe on the 45-year-old earlier this week.

Following his exit, the club said in a statement: "Chelsea Football Club and Head Coach Enzo Maresca have parted company. During his time at the club, Enzo led the team to success in the UEFA Conference League and the FIFA Club World Cup. Those achievements will remain an important part of the Club’s recent history, and we thank him for his contributions to the club. With key objectives still to play for across four competitions including qualification for Champions League football, Enzo and the club believe a change gives the team the best chance of getting the season back on track. We wish Enzo well for the future."

Soon after Maresca's dismissal, reports suggested that Rosenior was the heavy favourite to replace him in the Chelsea dugout. While Under-21 coach Calum McFarlane prepares to take charge of their Premier League clash away at Manchester City on Sunday, behind the scenes, the Blues and Strasbourg - who are both owned by BlueCo - are deep in discussions over a Rosenior deal. According to L'Equipe, the former Hull City boss' departure to Chelsea seems 'more and more imminent', and the sporting directors of both teams are progressing in their negotiations. However, Rosenior will remain in charge of Strasbourg for their Saturday encounter against Nice, with efforts to find a replacement set to start next week. The report adds that Blueco do not want the French outfit to 'lose face' with this, therefore a transfer fee should be paid. But there 'no longer seems to be too much doubt' about Rosenior's future.

Former Derby County boss Rosenior may have opened the door to a Chelsea switch after admitting there are no guarantees he will remain at Strasbourg for the rest of the season. According to The Guardian, the biggest obstacle to this move is that BlueCo is keen to be sensitive to the needs of both clubs, therefore, a quality replacement for Rosenior must be lined up before he leaves for Chelsea. Amid this, the former Brighton defender acknowledged that things can change quickly in the life of a manager.

He told reporters: "There are no guarantees in life. What I do know is that I put everything into this job. I’ve created some unbelievable connections with the people at this club. We’ve created some really great memories. You can’t guarantee anything in life. In terms of interest for other clubs, I’ve had a lot of interest. A lot of approaches that I’ve always been open with the club about. Some have come out and some haven’t. My focus is always on the job that I do. But to say I’m definitely going to be somewhere or definitely going to do something, I don’t think that’s right."

On BlueCo, he added: "They have been so supportive of me in this job. They want this club to do so well, as they also want Chelsea to do well as well."

After Chelsea take on Premier League title challengers City on Sunday, they have a London double-header against Fulham and then Championship side Charlton Athletic over the coming week in the Premier League and FA Cup third round, respectively. It remains to be seen if Rosenior will be in charge of any of those upcoming fixtures.