Chelsea appoint Thomas Tuchel as new coach, Odion Ighalo exits Manchested United

Chelsea have announced the appointment of Thomas Tuchel as the club's new manager on an 18-month contract.

Sources told ESPN that Tuchel would replace Frank Lampard who was sacked on Monday after a 19-month spell at Stamford Bridge.

I would like to thank Chelsea FC for their confidence in me and my staff, Tuchel said.

We all have the greatest respect for Frank Lampard's work and the legacy he created at Chelsea. At the same time, I cannot wait to meet my new team and compete in the most exciting league in football. I am grateful to now be part of the Chelsea family -- it feels amazing!

Lampard paid the price after a poor run of results saw the club drop from first place in the Premier League table to ninth in the space of a month.

Tuchel has been out of work since he was sacked by French champions Paris Saint-Germain in December and replaced by former Tottenham Hotspur boss Mauricio Pochettino.

During his spell in Paris, Tuchel won the Ligue 1 title in his first season before claiming a domestic Treble in his second as well as reaching the club's first ever Champions League final.

It is never easy to change head coach in the middle of the season but we are very happy to secure one of Europe's best coaches in Thomas Tuchel, Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia said.

There is still much to play for and much to achieve, this season and beyond. We welcome Thomas to the club.

Tuchel will be in the dugout as Chelsea return to league action when they host Wolves on Wednesday.

Odion Ighalo has confirmed he has left Manchester United following the end of a year-long loan spell from Shanghai Shenhua.

He told ESPN earlier this month that he would have liked to stay at United for the rest of this season but also revealed an interest in moving to Major League Soccer.

It's so hard to see this dream come to an end, he said on Instagram. "But I give God the glory for helping me fulfil this lifelong dream of putting on a Manchester United shirt as a player and represent this great club, it was indeed an honor I will forever cherish and be grateful for.

To the manager I say thank you for trusting and believing in me when many did not, to my amazing teammates I will miss you guys, it was always fun and a time I look forward to training and spending time with all of you. And I pray we win the league and FA Cup this year.

To the best fans in the world (the Manchester United fans) we have missed you, but we hear your voices cheering us on from afar, we can't wait to have you all back on the stands.

I'm still and would remain a Manchester United fan forever. Once a Red, always a Red. Thank you Manchester United and God bless.

The 31-year-old Nigeria striker was pushed down the pecking order at United following the arrival of Edinson Cavani in the summer.

Ighalo made a key contribution to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's team at the end of last season, scoring five goals in 19 appearances as United reached the semifinals of the FA Cup and Europa League, as well as finishing third in the Premier League to secure a return to the Champions League.