The English Premier League football side Fulham has named former Wales and Manchester City boss Mark Hughes as their new manager to succeed Roy Hodgson.
Hughes, who enjoyed a successful playing career with Manchester United, Barcelona and Chelsea and has also coached Blackburn Rovers, has signed a two-year deal with the London club.
The Welshman will take charge for the friendly fixture against Werder Bremen next week.
Hughes was contacted by Fulham, last year's Europa League runners-up, after the west London club were unable to lure Ajax coach Martin Jol to Craven Cottage.
With the new Premier League season starting in just over two weeks, Fulham officials had been desperate to find a replacement for Hodgson, who left earlier in pre-season to take over at Liverpool.
Hughes is likely to be given more than $30 million to spend by Fulham chairman Mohamed Al-Fayed and he will link up again with chief executive Alistair Mackintosh, with whom he worked closely during his time at City.
The former Welsh international first went into management with the Wales national team and was close to guiding them to Euro 2004 but lost out in a play-off to Russia.
He then moved to Blackburn in 2004 and led Rovers to an FA Cup semi-final and UEFA Cup qualification.
Four years later he joined City but despite pushing the club into the top six, expectations had changed when the Abu Dhabi United Group took charge and he was dismissed midway through last season.
