BREAKING: Gary O’Neil Replaces Liam Rosenior At Strasbourg
Strasbourg are on the verge of appointing Gary O’Neil after agreeing a deal in principle for the former Wolverhampton Wanderers boss to take charge in Ligue 1.
Gary O’Neil, 42, is set to succeed Liam Rosenior, who has left the French club after emerging as Chelsea’s preferred choice. With Strasbourg and Chelsea operating under the same BlueCo ownership, the change has moved quickly, allowing the Ligue 1 side to act decisively in their search for a new manager.
O’Neil, who has been without a club since he departed from Wolves in December 2024, has attracted interest from several English sides. However, Strasbourg, currently seventh in Ligue 1, have offered him an immediate route back into management. Talks held over the weekend are understood to have produced agreement on the framework of the deal, with final details still to be completed.
The move would mark O’Neil’s first managerial role outside England. Strasbourg have increasingly looked to Premier League experience in recent years, with Patrick Vieira among their previous appointments. Rosenior, who joined in July 2024, guided the club into the Uefa Conference League before his exit.
O’Neil’s coaching journey began at Liverpool, where he worked on the backroom staff before stepping into management at Bournemouth. He was appointed caretaker boss in August 2022 following Scott Parker’s dismissal and later confirmed in the role, steering the club to a 15th-place finish in the 2022-2023 Premier League season. Despite securing survival, he was dismissed in June 2023.
He later took charge at Wolves, finishing 14th in the 2023-2024 campaign. His time at Molineux ended last season, with the club eventually retaining their Premier League status under Vitor Pereira.
Any prospect of a Wolves return has now been firmly ruled out. O’Neil recently withdrew from discussions over the vacant head coach role, despite initial talks following Pereira’s dismissal. Sources briefed on the process told The Athletic that O’Neil felt the opportunity was not right at this stage.
Wolves are continuing their search for a new manager after a difficult run that has left them at the bottom of the Premier League. Erik ten Hag, Rob Edwards and Michael Carrick are among the names under consideration, while James Collins and Richard Walker are overseeing first-team duties on an interim basis.
