The 49-year-old has been waiting for the right job to return to management and West Ham hope he could be the coach to turn their fortunes around.

Potter was one of the most highly-rated English managers in the game during his time at Swansea and Brighton but struggled to convince during less than seven months at Chelsea, albeit during a turbulent time for the club.

He will be joined at the London Stadium by assistant manager Bruno Saltor, plus first-team coaches Billy Reid and Narcis Pelach. West Ham also announced that Xavi Valero would remain the club’s goalkeeping coach.

“I am delighted to be here. It was important to me that I waited until a job came along that I felt was right for me, and equally that I was the right fit for the Club I am joining. That is the feeling I have with West Ham United,” Potter said.

“The Club have made a lot of good progress in recent years and ensured there are some very strong foundations in place to build on. You don’t win a European trophy by fluke – there has to be a good bedrock at a football club for that to happen, and the challenge now is to take that on and build the next steps, to develop a team and a Club that the supporters can be proud of.”