After weeks of speculation linking Premier League managers, Maurizio Sarri and Pep Guardiola, with moves to the Serie A, Italian giants AS Roma have decided to appoint three-time Ukrainian Premier League winner, Paulo Fonseca, as the club’s new manager.

Sarri was previously in the running to get snapped up from Stamford Bridge by the Stadio Olimpico outfit or Italian champions, Juventus.

The latter club were also strongly linked with Guardiola, who had to come out to state he was staying at Man. City amidst the rumours.

However, Roma have now taken themselves out of the transfer talk as the club have decided to go with Fonseca, handing the Mozambique-born Portuguese tactician a two-year deal on June 11 with the option of a further year.

46-year-old Fonseca arrives at the Giallorossi to replace former Chelsea and Leicester City boss, Claudio Ranieri, who was appointed as Roma manager on a temporary basis back in March 2019 following the sack of Eusebio Di Francesco a day earlier.

“I am very pleased to be appointed the head coach of AS Roma,” Portuguese Fonseca said in a statement. “I want to thank the club’s management for the opportunity they have given me. I am excited and motivated by the task ahead of us.”

Roma also gave fans an idea of what Fonseca’s playing style would be after posting an old quote of the new manager on the club website.

“My coaching philosophy? Well, I have very clear ideas – ideas I think you can see in my teams. That involves having the ball, taking the initiative and being an offensive team. These are the aspects that define my game and my aim in matches,” Fonseca had said.

Fonseca, who led Shakhtar Donetsk to the Premier League and Cup double for three consecutive seasons between 2016 and 2019, also winning the Ukrainian Super Cup in 2017 and being named as Best Coach in the league same year.

Before managing at Shakhtar, Fonseca guided Portguese club Sporting Braga to the Taca de Portugal title as well as fourth place in the Primera Liga in 2016, qualifying the club for the Europa League as a result.

His move to Roma comes two weeks after Roma’s Serie A rivals, Inter Milan, appointed former Juventus and Chelsea boss, Antonio Conte.

I'm here, Inter. ⚫?#WelcomeAntonio #ForzaInter #FCIM #NotForEveryone pic.twitter.com/aIprrGciUD

— Inter (@Inter_en) May 31, 2019

Conte was brought in as replacement for Luciano Spalletti, who led the club to a fourth place finish in Serie A last season, though, failed to guide the Nerazzurri past the group stages of the Champions League.

What are your thoughts on this managerial appointment of Fonseca by Roma? Share your views with us about it in the comments section.