Claudio Ranieri has agreed to become the new Watford manager after the departure of Xisco Muñoz over the weekend. It will be the 70-year-old's fourth Premier League club.

Ranieri has signed a two-year contract having rejected approaches from several Italian clubs in the last few weeks and takes over a team that has picked up seven points from their opening seven fixtures under Muñoz. The Spaniard became the sixth permanent appointee to leave the club since the summer of 2017 despite leading Watford to promotion last season.

Watford are expected to announce the news in the next 24 hours. Ranieri last worked in England during the 2018-19 season, when he took over at Fulham in November but won only three of his 17 games in charge before being sacked in February and replaced by Scott Parker. But his previous spell at Leicester was far more successful, famously leading them to the Premier League title in 2016 before being shown the door the following season with the club one point above the relegation zone.

Ranieri also managed Chelsea to second place in his first post in England betwen 2000 and 2004. – Guardian