Leicester City confirm Claudio Ranieri to succeed Nigel Pearson as manager

Leicester City have confirmed the arrival of former Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri as successor to Nigel Pearson at the King Power Stadium.

The 63-year-old, previously nicknamed the 'Tinkerman' due to his habit of instigating frequent tactical changes, has been out of work since being sacked by Greece in November 2014. He arrives in the East Midlands on a three-year contract.

"I'm so glad to be here in a club with such a great tradition as Leicester City. I have worked at many great clubs, in many top leagues, but since I left Chelsea I have dreamt of another chance to work in the best league in the world again," Ranieri, who spent four years at Stamford Bridge before being sacked in 2004 to make way for Jose Mourinho, told Leicester's official website following confirmation of his appointment.

"I wish to thank the owner, his son and all the executives of the Club for the opportunity they are giving me. Now I've only one way for returning their trust: squeeze all my energies to getting the best results for the team."

Ranieri managed several teams including the likes of Fiorentina, Napoli and Atletico Madrid before his stint at Chelsea and since leaving the Premier League has had spells in charge of Valencia, Parma , Juventus, AS Roma, Inter Milan and Monaco.

He was named as Greece's number one choice to replace Fernando Santos last July, yet did not fare well in the role and was dismissed in the aftermath of the shock 1-0 defeat to the Faroe Islands that left the Euro 2004 winners languishing bottom of qualifying Group F ahead of next year's tournament in France.

Despite those struggles, however, the Leicester hierachy have obviously been swayed by Ranieri's considerable experience across Europe and see him as the perfect successor to the fiery Pearson, with the latter having been relieved of his duties in June following a reported collapse in his relationship with the owners.

"It is my great pleasure to welcome Claudio Ranieri – a man of remarkable experience and knowledge that will lead us into the next phase of our long-term plan for Leicester City," vice-chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha added.

"His achievements in the game, his knowledge of English football and his record of successfully coaching some of the world's finest players made him the outstanding candidate for the job and his ambitions for the future reflect our own.

"To have attracted one of the world's elite managers speaks volumes both for the progress Leicester City has made in recent years and for the potential that remains for the Club's long-term development."