Sampdoria have appointed Vincenzo Montella as their new coach on a contract until June 2018 following the departure of Walter Zenga last Tuesday.

Former Fiorentina coach Montella takes over at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris with the club in 10th place in the Serie A table following a run of just one win in their last seven matches.

A statement on the club’s official website said: “The president Massimo Ferrero and everyone at UC Sampdoria are pleased to an-nounce that Vincenzo Montella is officially the new manager of the Blucerchiati.

“Montella has signed a contract keeping him at the club until 30 June, 2018. He will be joined by assistant manager Daniele Russo, coaches Nicola Caccia and Riccardo Manno, athletic trainer Emanuele Marra, training load analyst Cristian Savoia and match analyst Simone Montanaro.”

The 41-year-old has been without a job since leaving Fiorentina in June, having led them to a fourth-placed finish in the Serie A last term.

Montella had two spells at Samp as a player, enjoying a three-year stint between 1996 and 1999, before returning on loan in the 2007-08 campaign.

Earlier in the day, Montella thanked Fiorentina owner Andrea Della Valle “for acting with intelligence and common sense”.

“Fiorentina represented a fundamental stage in my professional growth and I want to thank the Della Valle family for the opportunity given and the three years together,” Montella, who was still under contract with the Florence club, was quoted as saying.

“Now is not the time to discuss misunderstandings that can never cancel the splendid memories I hold in my heart of these three years in Florence.”