Swansea City: Paul Clement confirmed as third boss of the season

Paul Clement worked alongside England manager Gareth Southgate as a coach with England Under-21s

Paul Clement has been confirmed as head coach of Swansea City.

The 44-year-old becomes the Swans' third boss of the season after joining from Bayern Munich, where he was assistant to Carlo Ancelotti.

Clement agreed a two-and-a-half-year deal to replace Bob Bradley, who had been in charge since Francesco Guidolin's departure in October.

The former Derby County manager takes over with Swansea bottom of the Premier League.

• Can Clement turn it around at Swansea?

Clement, who has also been Ancelotti's assistant boss at Chelsea, Paris St-Germain and Real Madrid, will be at Selhurst Park for the Swans' game against Crystal Palace on Tuesday, although first-team coach Alan Curtis will select the team.

Last season he was in charge of Championship side Derby but was sacked by the club in February 2016 after a run of seven league games without a win.

Nigel Gibbs has been appointed assistant coach, with Karl Halabi named head of physical performance, with both arriving from Tottenham Hotspur.

Bradley was sacked following a spell of seven defeats in 11 games, and Clement emerged as the frontrunner to replace the American.

Former Manchester United assistant Ryan Giggs, Wales boss Chris Coleman and former Birmingham City manager Gary Rowett had also been linked with the job.

The Swans are four points adrift at the bottom of the table and have lost their last four games, including Saturday's 3-0 home defeat by Bournemouth.

"It's a big task"

"I could have stayed at Bayern as an assistant, but I've chosen to come into a very challenging situation. It excites me to do that and that's the attitude I want the players to have," said Clement on Swansea's website.

"It's a big task, but I think it can be done.

"We are looking at the potential of adding to the squad in the transfer window. I've discussed that with the owners already.

"But before that I quickly need to look at the players already here and get them playing up to or close to their potential - and get some good results."

The chairman's view

"Paul has not only worked with some of Europe's biggest football clubs, but also the very best players in the world," said Swans chairman Huw Jenkins.

"Swansea City's strength over many years had been the quality of the football coached on the training field. That has always been at the forefront of our success.

"There is no doubt in my mind that Paul can not only help us regain that footballing belief, but also restore some much-needed pride back into the football club."

Analysis

BBC Wales football correspondent Rob Phillips

"Given the club's desperate plight, Clement needs to hit the ground running and the American investors simply have to provide funds for him to strengthen the squad in the January transfer window.

"The club's fans will surely judge whether Clement is an appointment with one eye on Championship football next season by how much commitment the owners show to giving the new man a fighting chance of saving the club from relegation."