Agency :
Former Roma coach Paulo Fonseca is to return to Italy as the new boss of AC Milan, the Serie A runners-up announced on Thursday.
“Milan’s new coach will be Paulo Fonseca,” said former Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic, representing the owner, at a press conference.
Fonseca, 51, who has signed a three-year contract, has been with French club Lille since 2022.
He succeeds Stefano Pioli, who was sacked at the end of the 2023-24 season after five seasons in charge.
“We studied very carefully what he did, how he prepared his matches,” said Ibrahimovic, who had two spells as a player with the club, ending his on-field career with Milan in 2023.
“We want him to bring his identity of game, his offensive style to our team, to our players.
“After five years we wanted something new, with all respect to Stefano Pioli.”
Born in Nampula, Mozambique, in 1973, Fonseca began his coaching career in Portugal with stints at Pacos de Ferreira, Porto and Braga before spending three years at Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk, where he won seven trophies and finished with a record of 103 wins in 139 matches.