Di Matteo appointed MK Dons boss

Di Matteo was capped 34 times for Italy during his playing days

Roberto di Matteo has been named as the new manager of League One outfit MK Dons, replacing Paul Ince.

The former Chelsea midfielder, 38, has signed a one-year deal with the option of a further contract and will be officially unveiled on Thursday.

Di Matteo won 34 caps for Italy during spells with Lazio and Chelsea and retired from playing in 2002.

"Like the club itself, Roberto is young, ambitious and hungry to succeed," said a club statement.

"We are enormously excited about the team moving forward under his leadership," the statement continued.

Ince left to replace Mark Hughes at Blackburn last month after guiding the Dons to the League Two title last season.

606: DEBATE He was a good player so hopefully he is as good a manager Stirling-MKDons

Winkleman was keen to appoint a new manager as quickly as possible with the Dons players reporting back for pre-season training on Monday and said he had received 40 applications for the vacant post.

It is Di Matteo's first managerial appointment and he is believed to have beaten off competition for the position from former Leicester, QPR and Plymouth boss Ian Holloway and former Burnley manager Steve Cotterill.