West Ham United have appointed Argentine Mario Husillos as their new director of football, the Premier League club said on Wednesday.
The 59-year-old arrives at the London-based club after a spell as sporting director of Spanish side Malaga, where he worked with West Ham’s new boss Manuel Pellegrini during the club’s most successful spell.
The duo guided Malaga to the quarter-finals of Champions League and a sixth-placed finish in La Liga in 2012-13 season.
“West Ham United is a club with huge ambition,” Husillos said in a statement.
“The challenge to help deliver that ambition is what really attracted me to the role.
“I know the manager well and know he wants to deliver an exciting brand of attacking football. It will be my job to supply him with the tools to do just that.”
West Ham have been working on a restructuring off the pitch after parting company with manager David Moyes, who guided them to a 13th-placed finish in the league.
The club’s main owners, David Sullivan and David Gold, are hoping to deliver the sort of football that can keep fans happy at London Stadium.
“Mario has great experience and a fantastic knowledge of players,” Sullivan said.
“We have already had positive discussions about his role and the areas of the squad that we want to improve, and I am sure he will become a key figure for the club.”