Chelsea appoints Maurizio Sarri as new manager

Chelsea completed the much expected appointment of Maurizio Sarri as the club's new manager on Saturday, following the sacking of Antonio Conte.

Sarri signed an initial three-year contract with Chelsea after cutting ties with the Italian club, Napoli who already appointed Carlo Ancelotti as his replacement in May in anticipation Sarri would leave.

He will arrive Stamford Bridge after three impressive years at Napoli, but will take over at a club facing an uncertain future at boardroom level following Roman Abramovich's UK visa issues.

I am very happy to be coming to Chelsea and the Premier League, Sarri said in a statement.

It is an exciting new period in my career. I look forward to starting work and meeting the players on Monday ahead of travelling to Australia, where I will be able to get to know the squad and begin our match action.

I hope we can provide some entertaining football for our fans, and that we will be competing for trophies at the end of the season, which is what this club deserves.

The Chelsea job will be Sarri's first outside of Italy in a managerial career that has spanned 13 years and eight clubs, but the tactically-savvy coach says he is excited about the challenge.

In a statement released on the club's official website, Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia said:

We are delighted to welcome Maurizio and are looking forward to him bringing his football philosophy to Chelsea. Maurizio’s Napoli side played some of the most exciting football in Europe, impressing with their attacking approach and dynamism, and his coaching methods significantly improved the players at his disposal. He has plenty of experience in Serie A and the Champions League and we know he is relishing the chance to work in the Premier League.

Maurizio Sarri is the new Chelsea head coach!

Full story: https://t.co/qQwb5xZT3f#WelcomeSarri pic.twitter.com/DCNfoVCoz6

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) July 14, 2018

Sarri has never won a major trophy in his 13-year professional coaching career, but Napoli mounted a historic Serie A title challenge against Juventus last season while earning praise for their thrilling style of play.

In all three of his seasons in charge in Naples, Sarri led the club into the Champions League, with two second-place and one third-place finish in Serie A.

He will be tasked with returning Chelsea to Europe's top club competition after they finished fifth in the Premier League -- outside the Champions League qualification places for the second time in three seasons.