TheCable

Kolo Toure, the former Arsenal defender, has been appointed as the new manager for Wigan Athletic.

The  Championship club announced the signing of the Ivorian in a statement posted on its website on Tuesday.

Toure joins Wigan on a three-and-half-year deal from Leicester City, where he was the first-team coach in Brendan Rodgers’ coaching crew. 

The 41-year-old will be joined by Kevin Betsy and Ashvir Johal in his new role with the Latics.

“Wigan Athletic Football Club is delighted to confirm the appointment of Kolo Touré as the Club’s new First Team Manager,” the statement read.

“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 learnt 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.

“Also arriving at Latics will be Kevin Betsy and Ashvir Johal, with both joining the backroom coaching staff at the Football Club that includes Rob Kelly – who has agreed to continue in his role as Assistant Manager.

“All three will now fly out to Turkey to meet up with the First Team, who are currently on a mid-season training camp as Kolo, the second highest capped player in Ivory Coast history, will look to hit the ground running and implement his philosophy and ideas onto the first team environment.”

Toure was part of Arsenal’s ‘Invincibles’ side which won the English Premier League (EPL) undefeated in 2004. He left the Gunners for Manchester City in 2009 before moving to Liverpool four years later.

He hung his playing boots in 2017 while playing for Celtic FC. He then joined the Scottish club’s backroom staff.