Eusebio Di Francesco has been officially named the new head coach of Lecce, the Serie A club confirmed on Wednesday.

The 55-year-old Italian tactician has signed a one-year deal with an automatic extension clause — the contract will be prolonged for an additional season if Lecce manage to retain their place in Serie A.

This marks a return to the Stadio Via del Mare for Di Francesco, who briefly managed the Salentini back in 2011 before embarking on a career that included stints at Sassuolo, AS Roma, Sampdoria, Cagliari, Hellas Verona, Frosinone, and most recently, Venezia.

Notably, both Frosinone and Venezia were relegated to Serie B under his leadership, raising questions about his recent managerial form.

Lecce, however, survived relegation on the final matchday of the 2024/25 season and are hoping that Di Francesco’s experience — including his impressive 2017–18 campaign with Roma that saw them reach the UEFA Champions League semi-finals — can stabilize the club and help them grow.