Kilmarnock have appointed former Chelsea number two Angelo Alessio as their new manager.

The 54-year-old has signed a three-year deal to replace Steve Clarke, who left Killie to take over as Scotland boss.

Alessio was Antonio Conte’s assistant at Stamford Bridge and during the Italian’s spells in charge of Juventus and Italy.

Alessio told Killie’s official website: “It is a real honour for me to be named Kilmarnock manager.

“I’ve spent a lot of time researching and gathering information about the club and everyone I spoke to had nothing but positive things to say about Kilmarnock.

“I can’t wait to get to work with the players and staff on the training pitch and building on the strong foundations left by Steve Clarke.”

Clarke led Killie to third place in the Ladbrokes Premiership last season, securing a place in the Europa League qualifiers.

Director Billy Bowie added: “On behalf of the board of directors, I’m delighted to name Angelo as the new manager of Kilmarnock FC.

“We were extremely impressed by the calibre of the candidates for the vacancy but Angelo’s knowledge and passion for the role really shone through.

“This is a hugely exciting period for Kilmarnock as we celebrate the club’s 150th anniversary and play European football for the first time in 18 years and we’re looking forward to this new chapter with Angelo at the helm.”