Silva honoured to be given Sporting post

Twenty-four hours after parting company with Leonardo Jardim, Sporting Clube de Portugal have announced Marco Silva as their new coach.

Silva – who has signed a four-year deal – moves to the Estádio José Alvalade after three successful seasons at the helm of Estoril Praia in which they won promotion to the Liga and then finished fifth and fourth respectively in the last two campaigns, qualifying for the UEFA Europa League.

The 36-year-old guided Estoril, where he finished his playing career in 2011, to a 1-0 victory over his new employers in his final game in charge on 11 May. "I want to thank Sporting for the faith put in me," he said. "It's an honour to represent this big club. This is a big and ambitious challenge. Making my debut in the UEFA Champions League as Sporting's coach will be extraordinary for me and I believe we'll be up to the task."

Sporting president Bruno de Carvalho added: "Marco Silva was always our first choice to replace Leonardo Jardim. Sporting have a project and Marco Silva has the right profile to lead it. We want to achieve stability, hence the four-year agreement."

The Lions, runners-up in the Portuguese top flight behind city rivals SL Benfica, will return to the UEFA Champions League group stage next term for the first time since 2008/09.