Hamburg confirms Arnesen to join Bundesliga club

Frank Arnesen will take over as sporting director at Hamburger SV after the end of the season, the Bundesliga club confirmed on Sunday.

The 54-year-old Dane signed a three-year contract to take over the role he currently holds at Chelsea. Arnesen announced in November he would not renew his contract with Chelsea, and he will bring along the club's chief scout Lee Congerton to Germany.

Hamburg chairman Ernst-Otto Rieckhoff said the club was very pleased with "this great solution."

A former Denmark international, Arnesen played for Ajax, Valencia, Anderlecht and PSV Eindhoven, with which he won the European Cup in 1988.

His managerial career began in 1991 as assistant coach to Bobby Robson at Eindhoven, becoming sporting director of the club in 1994. He stayed for 10 years, during which Brazilian striker Ronaldo and Dutch winger Arjen Robben joined the club.

Arnesen's career in England began in 2004 at Tottenham, and he switched to rival Chelsea in 2005.