'You never know' - Liam Rosenior speaks out on Chelsea links and makes stance on Blues job clear after Enzo Maresca's stunning exit

Chelsea took the bold decision to part ways with Maresca on New Year's Day, with the relationship between the manager and the board deteriorating quickly over the last month or so.

A statement from the club read: "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."

Rosenior has since emerged as the surprise favourite to succeed Maresca at Stamford Bridge. The former Fulham and Reading full-back manages Strasbourg, who like Chelsea are under BlueCo ownership, and has guided the French side to a position of seventh in Ligue 1 ahead of Saturday's trip to Nice. 

The news of Chelsea's decision to part ways with Maresca comes on the eve of Strasbourg's return from their winter break, with their most recent outing being a 2-1 victory over Dunkerque in the Coupe de France four days before Christmas Day. Speaking ahead of his side's first match since, Rosenior insisted he remains focused on his current role and dismissed the reports as "speculation".

He said: "I'm going to talk about Nice because that's my job.

"There's a lot of noise, a lot of speculation, but as a coach, if you get involved in that, you fail. My job is here, I love this club.

"No, I haven't spoken to the players about it. There's no need, they're connected and I've had a few lighthearted jokes. But we've been focused on our work. The goal is to continue creating great things here. 

"In life, there are zero guarantees. You never know what tomorrow will bring. I'm just doing my job. There's already been speculation. I don't want to guarantee how long I'll be here, but I enjoy myself here every day. I intend to continue doing so as long as I'm here. I love this club, but I can't guarantee anything. Nobody can.

"I want to do my job here, it's simple. The reality today is that I am the manager of Strasbourg and I am focused on my position.

"There are exchanges because we are part of the same group.

"I'm honest, you can never control everything in life. I could say I'm going to stay here for years and then get fired."

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A number of high-profile names have been linked with the Chelsea vacancy, but the likes of Cesc Fabregas, Oliver Glasner and Francesco Farioli have all been ruled out of the running. Brief speculation also suggested a more experienced and glitzy option could be pursued in the shape of Champions League winners Zinedine Zidane and Jurgen Klopp, but neither legend fit the model currently in place at Stamford Bridge.

While deliberations continue over who the next permanent manager will be, Under-21s coach Calum McFarlane will take charge of Chelsea's daunting trip to Manchester City on Sunday. The 40-year-old admitted it has been a "crazy 24 hours" since Maresca's departure and has opened up on his excitement at leading the group before the game at the Etihad Stadium.