Former Arsenal and Barcelona left back Giovanni van Bronckhorst has been appointed to become the new manager of Eredivisie club Feyenoord this summer.
The 40-year-old is currently serving as the assistant coach to current manager Fred Rutten who is to leave the club at season's end.
van Bronckhorst, who started and ended his playing career at Feyenoord, described the appointment as a “huge honour.”
“It fills me with pride and I am extremely grateful for the confidence that Feyenoord has placed in me," he explained to the clubs official website.
The former Netherlands captain totaled 106 international caps for his country and played in three World Cups as well as three European Championships.
van Bronckhorst has been in his assistant position at the club since July of 2011, when he was hired to current Southampton manager Ronald Koeman’s staff.
“As an assistant coach, I learned a lot from both Ronald Koeman and Fred Rutten,” he recalled.
After Rutten rejected an approach from the club to extend his current one-year deal, an immediate replacement was not announced. However, after weeks of decision making, the Dutch outfit has turned to their former player.
“It is good for the club that there is now clarity towards next season,” van Bronckhorst continued.
Martin van Geel, the the technical director of the club, spoke of his satisfaction with the appointment: "We are confident that Giovanni after three years under Ronald Koeman and a year under Fred Rutten is ready for this step.”