Kolo Toure has been appointed as the new first-team manager for Wigan Athletic, the club has announced in a statement.

The 2015 Africa Cup of Nations winner who was previously a member of the coaching staff at Leicester City FC for the first team has joined the English Championship side on a three and half year deal.

“Wigan Athletic Football Club is delighted to confirm the appointment of Kolo Touré as the Club’s new First Team Manager,” read the club statement. “Touré arrives at the Club on a three-and-a-half-year deal from Leicester City, where he was operating as First Team Coach as part of Brendan Rodgers’ coaching staff. 

“Having played under and learned from elite managers throughout his career from the likes of Arsène Wenger, Roberto Mancini, Jürgen Klopp, and Brendan Rodgers – as well as years of top flight, European and International coaching experience – Touré will now focus on his own managerial career at First Team level.”

Toure started his football career in 1999 at Ivorian club ASEC Mimosas and went on to play for Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool, and Celtic FC where he won two Premier League titles, two FA Cups, and two Scottish Premiership titles.

He also made 120 appearances for Ivory Coast and won the Africa Cup of Nations in 2015 before retiring from football to go into coaching.

Toure is now expected to be in charge of his first game as Wigan Athletic manager on Saturday, 10, December.