AS Roma are delighted to announce that Gianluca Petrachi will begin work as the club’s new sporting director from 1 July 2019.

Petrachi, 50, has signed a three-year contract with the Giallorossi that runs until 2022.

“I am pleased to be able to welcome Gianluca to our team,” Roma chief executive Guido Fienga said.

“With his skills, I am sure he will be an important asset within the club’s management structure.”

After retiring as a player in 2003, the Lecce-born midfielder quickly embarked on his backroom career - accepting a role as team manager at Ancona.

In 2006 he moved on to become the technical director at Pisa, before subsequently being appointed the club’s sporting director.

In 2009 he made the move back to Torino - one of the clubs he represented as a player - to become the club’s sporting director. With the Granata, Petrachi oversaw the club’s promotion back to Serie A in 2012 and helped the club re-establish itself in the Italian top-flight - even qualifying for Europe after a seventh-place finish during the 2013-14 campaign.

Torino subsequently reached the knockout phase of the Europa League the following season, going out in the last-16.

“Coming to Roma is an exciting and stimulating opportunity for me,” Petrachi said.

“I am well aware of the expectations of a club and a fanbase of this size – and because of that I was eager to accept this great challenge.”

Petrachi represented Torino, Cremonese and Perugia in Serie A during a long playing career. He also had a brief spell in England with Nottingham Forest.