Roberto di Matteo to Aston Villa: Former Chelsea boss signs two-year-contract

The upcoming season will be just Villa’s 13th year outside the top-flight in their 141-year history

Roberto di Matteo visits Villa Park as Chelsea manager in 2012 (Getty)

Aston Villa have appointed former Chelsea manager Roberto di Matteo as the seven-time English champions plan for life outside the top-flight for the first time in 28 years.

The Italian's arrival at Bodymoor Heath means there will be two Champions League winning managers in the Championship next season after Rafael Benítez agreed to stay at Newcastle United.

Di Matteo, 46, who has signed a two-year contract, lifted the trophy 14 days after winning the FA Cup during an interim spell at Stamford Bridge in 2012 before being sacked five months into a two-year contract the following campaign.

Speaking upon his appointment in the Midlands, he said: "It's a wonderful honour for me to become manager of this great football club and I'm looking forward to the challenge of taking Aston Villa back to its rightful place."

The former West Bromwich Albion and Schalke manager is expected to be assisted by former team-mate Steve Clarke. The 52-year-old worked under José Mourinho during the Portuguese’s successful first spell at Chelsea and is likely to be granted a hands-on role when he formally joins Di Matteo in the coming days.

Villa hope the duo will lead them into an era of stability after dispensing with Tim Sherwood and Rémi Garde last season while caretaker manager Eric Black was unable to stave off relegation from the Premier League.

Next season will be just Villa’s 13^th year outside the top-flight of English football in their 141-year history. Di Matteo has been out of work since leaving Schalke at the end of last season. Prior to his spell in west London, he also guided West Bromwich to promotion from the Championship in 2010.

Dr Tony Xia’s takeover is yet to receive Football League approval but the Chinese businessman is thought to have influenced the decision to appoint Di Matteo over Nigel Pearson. The former Leicester City manager has since agreed to join Derby County and said during his first press conference on Thursday that he hopes to restore the Rams to the Premier League.

Elsewhere in the Championship, Leeds United have appointed Garry Monk on a one-year rolling contract, replacing Steve Evans at Elland Road, after leaving Swansea City in December. Owen Coyle, meanwhile, has been handed the Blackburn Rovers job while Rotherham United have announced Alan Stubbs, the departing Hibernian head coach, as their new manager.