Thursday 7 January 2016 20:40, UK
Former Chelsea midfielder Claude Makelele is the new technical director of Ligue 1 club Monaco.
The 42-year-old, who also played for Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain among others, will assist Monaco's vice president Vadim Vasilyev on footballing matters.
Makelele,who had one season with Marseille as a player in 1997/98, retired in 2011 and moved into the coaching ranks at PSG - he also had a brief spell in charge of Bastia but was sacked after less than six months in charge in 2014.
"I am very happy to join a major club in French and European football," Makelele told Monaco's website. "My meeting with Vadim Vasilyev was decisive in my desire to join Monaco."
"It is a new stage in my career and I am convinced that this new role of technical director suits me perfectly.
"I am very excited about the idea of working with a coach of the quality of Leonardo Jardim. AS Monaco aim each year for Champions League qualification and I will work to help achieve those objectives."
Vasilyev added: "It is a great satisfaction to have by my side a man of the quality and profile of Claude Makelele.
"It was important to have a professional there every day who can provide a link between the sporting operation and the club directors."
