Slaven Bilic has been named new manager of West Ham United.

The 56-year-old Croatian joins the Hammers having left his previous job as head coach of Besiktas at the end of the season.

Bilic has an affinity with West Ham supporters having played over 50 times for the club during the 1996-97 season, and had maintained a strong desire to one day manage in the Premier League.

The had club narrowed their search to two candidates over the weekend - Bilic or the Marseille manager Marcelo Bielsa - after failing with audacious swoops for the likes of Rafa Benitez and Carlo Ancelotti.