Dutch club Feyenoord has appointed former captain Giovanni van Bronckhorst as manager. He replaces Robin van Persie after a frustrating season that saw them well adrift of rivals PSV Eindhoven.
The 51 year has signed a two-year contract, with an option for the club to extend it by a further year, the Rotterdam-based club said.
Technical director Devy Rigaux in a statement said Bronckhorst’s appointment “marks a new chapter for Feyenoord.”
“We want to continue building on our sporting ambitions with a head coach who combines extensive international experience with a deep understanding of the club’s culture,” said Rigaux.
Sipke Hulshoff, who recently worked alongside Arne Slot at Liverpool, will be Van Bronckhorst’s deputy, the club announced.
This will be Van Bronckhorst’s second spell as Feyenoord manager, he first took charge of the club from 2015 to 2019. On June 7, Feyenoord announced they had made the “difficult decision” to part company with former Arsenal and Manchester United star Van Persie.
Feyenoord finished second in the Dutch Eredivisie 19 points behind arch rivals PSV. The team also endured a tough season in Europe with Turkish side Fenerbahce knocking them out of the Champions League in the final qualifying stage.
The Europa League group stage also proved an unhappy hunting ground for Feyenoord who lost six out of their eight matches, beating only Sturm Graz and Panathinaikos.