Former Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo has joined Aston Villa on a two-year deal Former Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo has joined Aston Villa on a two-year deal

Aston Villa have confirmed the appointment of Roberto Di Matteo as their new manager on a two-year contract.

Di Matteo was identified as new owner Dr Tony Xia's preferred choice at the time of his takeover.

The 46-year-old Italian won the Champions League with Chelsea in 2012 but has not managed in the second tier of English football since 2009-10, when he won promotion for West Brom.

Another former West Brom manager, Steve Clarke, is expected to be named as Di Matteo's assistant - Clarke has previously been a member of Jose Mourinho's coaching staff at Chelsea and at Liverpool where he worked under Kenny Dalglish.

Sky Sports speaks to Aston Villa fans on the streets of Birmingham about the imminent appointment of former Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo Sky Sports speaks to Aston Villa fans on the streets of Birmingham about the imminent appointment of former Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo

Sky sources understand that his appointment as assistant at Villa is now likely to be completed on Monday.

Villa will be Di Matteo's fifth club after spells at MK Dons, West Brom, Chelsea and Schalke. He has taken charge of 167 games in that time and won 82 of them, a win rate of 49 per cent.

The Birmingham club have been without a permanent manager since Remi Garde left in March, with Eric Black completing the season in caretaker charge of the team.

Di Matteo 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."

Aston Villa were relegated from the Premier League with just 17 points after a very poor campaign in which they won only three league games and were beaten 27 times.

Former Aston Villa defender Steve Staunton believes the club has reached a low point and the takeover is good news Former Aston Villa defender Steve Staunton believes the club has reached a low point and the takeover is good news

They were sold to Xia last month after being put on the market by Randy Lerner in 2014. It is understood Xia paid between £60m and £70m for the club which New York-based investor Lerner bought 10 years ago.

Xia has confirmed he is willing to spend large sums of money on players during the next transfer window to help get Aston Villa straight back into the Premier League.