Sampdoria have officially confirmed the arrival of Andrea Pirlo as their new head coach, bringing the former midfielder back to Italy after a year abroad.
The 44-year-old was most recently in charge of Turkish side Fatih Karagümrük, who he guided to a seventh-place finish in the Super Lig, having a record of 13 wins, 12 draws and 11 losses. He chose to step away after a single season in charge.
Sampdoria suffered relegation to Serie B after finishing 20th in Serie A this season, only managing to pick up 19 points from three wins and 10 draws. After eight months in the role, Dejan Stankovic left the club following their relegation.
Pirlo has officially taken over as the new Blucerchiati coach, penning a two-year contract with the Ligurian side. He will be tasked with quickly trying to guide them back up to the topflight following their relegation.
Other new appointments to the Sampdoria management include Nicola Legrottaglie as the head of performance and Lorenzo Giani as the head of scouting.