- Italian brings vast experience from spells with Chelsea, Inter and Valencia
- New manager joins squad at Austria pre-season training camp
- Ranieri vows to repay owners’ trust with results
- First competitive game in charge will be Sunderland on 8 August
Leicester City Football Club is delighted to announce the appointment of Claudio Ranieri as the Club’s new First Team Manager.
The 63-year-old Italian has agreed a three-year contract at King Power Stadium to begin his second spell of Premier League management, following a successful four years at Chelsea between 2000 and 2004.
A vastly experienced tactician renowned for his methodical approach and entertaining style of play, Claudio’s near 30-year coaching career has included spells in charge of some of Europe’s biggest clubs.
In addition to Chelsea, the popular Roman can count Inter Milan, Juventus, Atletico Madrid, Valencia and Roma among his former employers.
Vice Chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha and Director of Football Jon Rudkin flew Claudio out to the Club’s pre-season training camp in Austria on Monday, where he was introduced to the squad and began work immediately.
Leicester City Vice Chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha said: “It is my great pleasure to welcome Claudio Ranieri – a man of remarkable experience and knowledge that will lead us into the next phase of our long-term plan for Leicester City.
“His achievements in the game, his knowledge of English football and his record of successfully coaching some of the world’s finest players made him the outstanding candidate for the job and his ambitions for the future reflect our own.
“To have attracted one of the world’s elite managers speaks volumes both for the progress Leicester City has made in recent years and for the potential that remains for the Club’s long-term development.”
Claudio Ranieri said: “I'm so glad to be here in a Club with such a great tradition as Leicester City. I have worked at many great clubs, in many top leagues, but since I left Chelsea I have dreamt of another chance to work in the best league in the world again.
“I wish to thank the owner, his son and all the executives of the Club for the opportunity they are giving me. Now I've only one way for returning their trust: squeeze all my energies to getting the best results for the team.”
Having met the Leicester City squad on Monday afternoon, Claudio will oversee his first training session on Tuesday morning – assisted by Craig Shakespeare, Steve Walsh and the existing City backroom team – and will remain with the group for the remainder of their training camp in Bad Radkersburg.
He will have the opportunity to see the squad in action for the first time next Tuesday (21 July), when City begin their pre-season friendly schedule with a trip to Lincoln City.
Leicester also face friendly fixtures at Mansfield Town, Burton Albion, Rotherham United and Birmingham City, before kicking off the 2015/16 Barclays Premier League season against Sunderland at King Power Stadium on Saturday 8 August.