ROME: Lazio have appointed Marcelo Bielsa as their new coach.

The 60-year-old Argentine, whose most recent managerial position was in France with Marseille, will start work on 9 July.

A club statement said: “As revealed by news in the media today, SS Lazio announces that it has already deposited the contract of Marcelo Bielsa and his staff.

“The club also announces that, as per the communication received, the coach and his staff will be in Rome on Saturday July 9.”

Earlier, Lazio’s press spokesman Stefano De Martino said that the paperwork had been completed and Bielsa would fly to Italy at the weekend.

Bielsa led Argentina to an Olympic gold medal in 2004, before guiding Chile to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

He took Athletic Bilbao to the 2012 Europa League and Copa del Rey finals, but had been without a club since leaving Marseille in August 2015.

Bielsa had been linked with a return to the Argentina national side but will instead begin his first spell in Italian football.

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