West Ham Women have announced Rita Guarino as their new head coach, following the recent departure of Rehanne Skinner.
Guarino has signed an 18-month contract with the Hammers and will take charge of her first match on Sunday 11 January against Chelsea in the WSL.
The former striker played 99 times for Italy and represented her country at two World Cups and three European Championships.
As a manager, she led Juventus to four consecutive Serie A titles in as many seasons, before a three-year spell at Inter Milan ended in the summer of 2024.
She told West ham TV: “I’ve spoken with the Board and I’m really excited by the project here. There is a lot of talent and experience in the team, and I want to support the girls to develop as individuals but also as a collective.
“I want to build a team that is organised, aggressive with the ball and that tries to recognise and use space. The mentality of the team – the togetherness and hard work – is the most important thing.”
Guarino will be assisted by Steve Kirby, with a further coaching staff appointment to follow.