Published: Today at 17:23
ROBERTO DI MATTEO has been confirmed as the permanent manager of Chelsea on a two-year contract.
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The Italian returned to Stamford Bridge from holiday today and finalised a deal with the European champions.
Di Matteo said: "I'm obviously delighted to have been appointed as manager and first-team coach.
"We all achieved incredible success last season that made history for this great club.
"Our aim is to continue building on that and I'm already planning and looking forward to the squad's return for pre-season."
Di Matteo, 42, was named interim boss after Andre Villas-Boas was sacked in March.
He went on to lead the Blues to a historic FA Cup and Champions League double despite being in charge for just 11 weeks.
Chelsea chief executive Ron Gourlay said: "Roberto's quality was clear for all to see when he galvanised the squad last season and helped the club make history, and the owner and board are very pleased he will be continuing his good work.
"We all believed he was a young coach with much to offer when we first asked him to take charge of team affairs in March and the manner in which he worked with us, the players and all the staff, and the success that followed, made him the clear choice when it came to selecting the person to take us forward in the seasons to come.
"We will be working closely with Roberto in the weeks ahead, some exciting signings have already been made and Roberto has had input into those.
"Although he has set the bar very high in the short time he has been in charge, we know that Roberto is the right man to lead Chelsea onto further success."
Di Matteo joined Chelsea as a player in 1996 and went on to play 175 games for the club.
He made his managerial debut in League One with MK Dons in 2008 before taking charge of West Brom.
After leading the Baggies into the Premier League at the first time of asking he was sacked in February 2011.
Di Matteo then returned to Stamford Bridge as assistant first-team coach under Villas-Boas before taking on the interim role.
Blues owner Roman Abramovich was linked with moves for old boss Jose Mourinho, ex-England manager Fabio Capello and former Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola.
But he has now plumped for Di Matteo, three weeks after he brought the club the Champions League trophy he so desperately craved.
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