LONDON – Watford has appointed former Chelsea and Leicester City boss Claudio Ranieri as their new manager on a two-year contract, the English Premier League club said.
Italian Ranieri, who famously led Leicester to a shock league title in the 2015-16 season, will replace Xisco Munoz after the Spaniard left Watford on Sunday following their 1-0 defeat at Leeds United the previous day.
Ranieri, 69, last worked in the Premier League during the 2018-19 campaign when he took over at Fulham in November but was sacked after winning three of his 17 games in charge.
He left Sampdoria at the end of last season after achieving a ninth-place finish, having taken charge in October 2019 with the club bottom of Serie A.
Ranieri brings a wealth of experience to Watford, having also managed Atletico Madrid, Juventus, AS Roma and Inter Milan.
Watford is 15th with seven points from seven matches, four points above the relegation zone.
His first match in charge of Watford will be against Liverpool in the Premier League on Oct. 16.
Elsewhere, Former Tottenham Hotspur defender Serge Aurier has joined Villarreal.
Aurier was available as a free agent after leaving Spurs by mutual consent last month. He has signed a one-year deal, with the option for a further two, with Unai Emery’s side.
“After completing his medical and signing his Villarreal contract, Aurier will head off to represent Ivory Coast… in two World Cup qualifiers,” the club said in a statement.
“The defender will join up with the Yellows after the international break and will be presented officially as a new Yellows player when he returns to Spain.”
The 28-year-old made 110 appearances for Spurs in England, joining the Londoners from Paris St Germain, where he won two Ligue 1 titles.
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