Strasbourg manager, 41, to have talks on Monday

He could be in place before Wednesday’s game at Fulham

Chelsea are closing in on the appointment of Liam Rosenior after the Strasbourg manager flew to London to hold talks over the role.

The 41-year-old is due to meet with the west London club on Monday and it is expected that discussions will end with him agreeing to replace Enzo Maresca, who left Stamford Bridge in acrimonious circumstances earlier this week.

Rosenior quickly emerged as the favourite for the job after Maresca’s exit but the main obstacle that had to be overcome was that BlueCo, the investment vehicle that owns both Chelsea and Strasbourg, had to be sensitive to the needs of both clubs. BlueCo’s leaders did not want to meet with Rosenior, who boarded a flight from France on Sunday, before his side had faced Nice in Ligue 1 on Saturday. The former Hull City manager was accompanied by Strasbourg’s president, Marc Keller, and sporting director, David Weir.