Di Matteo trusted to bring Blues forward

Roberto Di Matteo is aiming to build on winning the FA Cup and Champions League next season after he was named Chelsea’s permanent manager.

The former Italy midfielder was given the job full-time yesterday after signing a two-year deal.

“I’m obviously delighted to have been appointed as manager and first-team coach,” he said.

“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.”

It was widely expected Di Matteo would be given a permanent deal but there were reports Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich was looking at other targets, with former Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola high on his wanted list.

Di Matteo’s deal was delayed as the club had to wait for him to return from his holiday before finalising the deal with the Italian becoming Chelsea’s eighth permanent boss since Abramovich purchased the Stamford Bridge outfit in 2003.

Despite collecting honours in cup competitions Di Matteo could only guide Chelsea to a sixth in the Premier League but the chief executive Ron Gourlay is delighted tie down the manager.

“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,” he said.

“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 to take us forward .”

Germany winger Marko Marin and highly-rated Lille attacker Eden Hazard have already signed for the club while a deal for Porto forward Hulk may still materialise and Gourlay confirmed Di Matteo had been involved in identifying targets.