AS Roma Appoint Paulo Fonseca As New Manager
By Max Wise
Italian Serie A side AS Roma have appointed Paulo Fonseca as the club’s new manager on a two-year deal, with the option for a third.
Fonseca joins from Shakhtar Donetsk after leading the Ukrainian side to a league and cup double in all three seasons in charge of the club.
AS Roma finished last season in 6th place on the Serie A table which guarantees them a spot in the qualifying rounds of the 2019/2020 Europa League campaign which begins on July 25.
The Stadio Olympico outfit made it to the semi-finals of the 2017/2018 UEFA Champions League but severed ties with manager Eusebio de Francesco after they were eliminated at the round of 16 stage of Europe’s premier club competition by FC Porto.
Leicester City’s title winning manager, Claudio Ranieri, took over the mantle until the end of the season but will now pave way for Fonseca.
"AS Roma are delighted to confirm that Paulo Fonseca will be the club’s new head coach,” an official statement from the Giallorossi read.
"The 46-year-old has agreed to take the reins at the Giallorossi ahead of the start of the new season, on an initial two-year contract.
"An optional third year could extend the deal until the summer of 2022."
Roma President James Palotta said: "We are delighted to welcome Paulo Fonseca to the club.”
"Paulo is a young and ambitious coach with international experience, a winning mentality and a reputation for bold, attacking football that will excite our fans.
"From the very first conversations we had with him, he made it very clear he wanted to come to Roma and was excited about the challenge of working with our players and putting out a team that the fans can be proud of."
Fonseca, who counts FC Porto and Braga among his former clubs added: "I am very pleased to be appointed the head coach of Roma,".
"I want to thank the club's management for the opportunity they have given me.
"I am excited and motivated by the task ahead of us. I cannot wait to move to Rome, meet our fans and get started. Together, I believe we can create something special."
