It was annonced on Monday that Italian national team coach Antonio Conte was been appointed Chelsea's first-team coach on a three-year contract.
He will take over his new role after the European Championship concludes this summer. Here is the lowdown on the 46-year-old Italian.
Succeeds Mourinho
The Italy manager succeeds Jose Mourinho, who was sacked as manager in December, and will take up his role after managing Italy in this summer’s European Championship, Chelsea announced.
Dutchman Guus Hiddink will remain in caretaker charge until the end of the Premier League season.
‘Happy’ at announcement
Conte, 46, said on Chelsea’s website: “I am happy we have made the announcement now so everything is clear and we can end the speculation.
“I will continue to focus on my job with the Italian national team and will reserve speaking about Chelsea again until after the Euros.”
Rebuilding job
Conte has the unenviable task of rebuilding a side which won the Premier League title last season before imploding this term.
Mourinho’s second spell came to an end on December 17 after a miserable start to the season and a “palpable discord” with his players, according to Chelsea technical director Michael Emenalo.
Stability
Hiddink has restored stability in his second interim spell as manager – Chelsea are 10th in the Premier League with seven games to go – but the club faces a rare season without a trophy and will be without Uefa Champions League football next term.
Success at Juventus
After spells coaching Arezzo, Bari, Atalanta and Siena, Conte returned to Juve in 2011, guiding them to the Serie A title at the first attempt.
In all Conte guided Juventus to three successive Serie A titles before taking over the Italian national team job two years ago.
Fifth Italian coach
He becomes the fifth Italian coach of Chelsea, following Gianluca Vialli, Claudio Ranieri, Carlo Ancelotti and Roberto Di Matteo, and the eighth permanent manager appointed during Roman Abramovich’s 13-year ownership.
‘Day-to-day challenge’
Conte added: “I am very excited about the prospect of working at Chelsea Football Club. I am proud to be the coach of the national team of my country and only a role as attractive as manager of Chelsea could follow that.
“I am looking forward to meeting everyone at the club and the day-to-day challenge of competing in the Premier League. Chelsea and English football are watched wherever you go, the fans are passionate and my ambition is to have more success to follow the victories I enjoyed in Italy.”
Terry’s future
Despite not taking the job until after Euro 2016, Conte will now have the opportunity to shape Chelsea’s strategy in the remainder of the season.
One of Conte’s first tasks will be to decide the future of captain John Terry. The 35-year-old defender in January announced he would be leaving Chelsea at the end of the season, but the club said a contract offer could be forthcoming.
Winning mentality
Conte is a former Italy midfielder who made more than 400 appearances for Juventus, winning five league titles and a Champions League trophy.
He won 20 caps for his country and was part of the squad beaten by France in the final of Euro 2000.
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