Takumi Minamino has brought his Liverpool stay to an end by completing a move to Monaco.
The Japan international signed for the Reds in January 2020 but was unable to establish himself as a first-team regular.
During a two-and-a-half-year period at Anfield, Minamino scored 14 goals in 55 appearances.
He helped Liverpool win their first Premier League title in the 2019-20 season, before playing his part in an FA Cup and EFL Cup double in his final campaign on Merseyside.
While the fee for his move to France has not been confirmed by either club, Monaco are reported to be paying €15million (£12.9m), with an extra €3m (£2.6m) potentially forked out in bonuses.
Minamino has signed a four-year deal with Monaco, who finished third in Ligue 1 last term.
Monaco head coach Philippe Clement hopes Takumi Minamino can bring new qualities to his side as the Liverpool forward closes on a move to Ligue 1.
Minamino is widely expected to join Monaco in the coming days, with the club reportedly agreeing a €13.3million (£15.5m) deal to sign the Japan international.
The forward has scored four goals in 30 Premier League appearances for Liverpool since joining from Salzburg in 2020, but he started only five of those games as he struggled for regular minutes in Jurgen Klopp's star-studded side, spending half a season on loan at Southampton.
Ahead of Monaco's 1-0 friendly win over Cercle Brugge on Sunday, Clement revealed Minamino was set to complete his move to the principality and affirmed his belief in the 27-year-old's ability.
"I'm very happy, I've known him for a long time," Clement said of Minamino. "He was very high on our list. Everyone here is convinced that he has the qualities to bring something to the team.
"He already has experience and has done a lot of good things at Salzburg, in a style close to ours, just like at Liverpool where there is a lot of competition. That's why this is an opportunity."
Monaco ended the 2021-22 season third in Ligue 1, having finished the previous campaign in the same position.
Although he sees a future in coaching, Cesc Fabregas has ruled out immediate plans to retire following his confirmed departure from Monaco over the weekend.
The 35-year-old was only able to make two league appearances this past season, with ankle and hamstring injuries hampering his ability to see sustained time on the pitch.
Effectively without Fabregas, Monaco finished third in Ligue 1 behind Paris Saint-Germain and Marseille, defeating them both and losing only once in the final 12 games of the season after Niko Kovac's dismissal in December.
Asked on his desire to eventually coach, Fabregas insisted he wants to end his playing career on the right note first.
"First, I still want to play. I don't want to end like this," he told the Ligue 1 website. "It's been too bad a year to end like this. I want to have fun, to finish with good feelings.
"Nothing is decided, I am listening. I am open to everything. Maybe the level of club will have to drop, but there are teams of a lower level in the Champions League. One thing is clear. I'll go to a club where I'll play, where they believe in me."
Fabregas arrived in the principality in January 2019 with the added objective of helping younger players in the squad develop, as Monaco battled relegation under then-boss and former Arsenal team-mate Thierry Henry.
Making 68 appearances over that period, the World Cup winner is content with his time in Monaco overall but seeks a more suitable punctuation mark to his playing career.
"At the time, I signed with one objective, to save the team, which was then 19th with 13 points," he said. "I took a big risk, because relegation was possible. We can be satisfied to have saved the team's top-flight status. I'm proud of what I contributed in those six months.
"When I came here, Thierry Henry and [former Monaco vice president] Vadim Vasilyev also asked me to help the youngsters develop. That was an important point.
"Today, I have the feeling that I have earned the respect and sympathy of this young generation. I hope I have helped. We like each other. I will continue to follow them, to talk with them.
"For me, these two and a half years have been positive. On the other hand, the past season was very bad, the worst of my career. By far, I've never experienced anything like it."
Monaco have confirmed that midfielder Cesc Fabregas will leave the club at the end of this month.
The former Arsenal, Barcelona and Chelsea star has been troubled by injuries during the 2021-22 season, playing just twice in a Ligue 1 campaign in which Monaco finished third behind Marseille and champions Paris Saint-Germain.
A statement from Monaco on Saturday confirmed the 35-year-old's imminent departure.
"The midfielder with more than 830 career games, whose contract is coming to an end, leaves the principality club three and a half years after his arrival," the statement read.
"AS Monaco thanks Cesc Fabregas for his [time] at the club and wishes him the best for the future. Moltes gracies, Cesc!"
Fabregas joined Monaco in January 2019 and had already revealed his intentions in May to leave the Stade Louis II, but he does not intend to retire from the game.
"It's sure that it's over between Monaco and me," Fabregas told French outlet So Foot last month. "My contract expires in June, and I'm looking for a fresh start. My head needs a fresh start elsewhere.
"It's the worst year not only in my career, but also in my life, because when I'm not happy in football, I'm not happy in my life. I suffered a lot this year, and it was hard mentally. You just have to stay strong."
Paris Saint-Germain eased to a record-equalling 10th Ligue 1 title in the 2021-22 campaign, with Lille and Monaco the likely contenders to challenge the French giants in the following campaign.
Mauricio Pochettino's future remains uncertain at PSG despite securing the French top-flight title with four games to spare last season, with Nice's Christophe Galtier linked with the potential vacancy.
PSG have to wait until the ninth matchday to face Nice on October 2, but visit Lyon the game before on September 18 and face early clashes with Lille and Monaco on matchday four and five respectively.
The Ligue 1 champions host Marseille in the season's first Le Classique meeting on October 16, while PSG will have to negotiate a tricky period in February.
PSG visit Monaco on February 12 and Marseille two weeks later, either side of a home clash with Lille, who were the last side to deny Les Parisiens the championship in the 2020-21 term.
Away trips to AJ Auxerre and Strasbourg then precede a final matchday home clash with Clermont as PSG search for their ninth Ligue 1 crown in the last 11 seasons.
PSG's Ligue 1 fixtures in full:
07/08/2022 - Clermont (a)
14/08/2022 - Montpellier (h)
21/08/2022 - Lille (a)
28/08/2022 - Monaco (h)
31/08/2022 - Toulouse (a)
04/09/2022 - Nantes (a)
11/09/2022 - Brest (h)
18/09/2022 - Lyon (a)
02/10/2022 - Nice (h)
09/10/2022 - Reims (a)
16/10/2022 - Marseille (h)
23/10/2022 - AC Ajaccio (a)
30/10/2022 - Troyes (h)
06/11/2022 - Lorient (a)
13/11/2022 - AJ Auxerre (h)
28/12/2022 - Strasbourg (h)
01/01/2023 - Lens (a)
11/01/2023 - Angers (h)
15/01/2023 - Rennes (a)
29/01/2023 - Reims (h)
01/02/2023 - Montpellier (a)
05/02/2023 - Toulouse (h)
12/02/2023 - Monaco (a)
19/02/2023 - Lille (h)
26/02/2023 - Marseille (a)
05/03/2023 - Nantes (h)
12/03/2023 - Brest (a)
19/03/2023 - Rennes (h)
02/04/2023 - Lyon (h)
09/04/2023 - Nice (a)
16/04/2023 - Lens (h)
23/04/2023 - Angers (a)
30/04/2023 - Lorient (h)
07/05/2023 - Troyes (a)
14/05/2023 - AC Ajaccio (h)
21/05/2023 - AJ Auxerre (a)
27/05/2023 - Strasbourg (a)
03/06/2023 - Clermont (h)
Ferrari's recent issues with reliability have put a major dent in their driver's and constructor's title hopes, but they will need to quickly bounce back at this weekend's Canadian Grand Prix.
It was a painful day for the Scuderia at the Azerbaijan GP on Sunday, with both cars retiring due to technical issues.
For Charles Leclerc, it was the second time in three races he was forced out because of a power unit problem while leading, and the fourth consecutive race where he failed to convert pole position into a race win.
Sergio Perez took full advantage in Baku, moving ahead of Leclerc in the driver's standings with his win, with Max Verstappen opening up a 34-point gap to the Ferrari driver.
With two retirements sandwiching Ferrari's strategic blunder at his home race in Monaco, the Monegasque moves to four wins from 15 pole positions, with only Jarno Trulli holding a lower conversion rate (25 per cent) among winning drivers in the history F1.
Meanwhile, only Michael Schumacher (+23) and Alain Prost (+18) have a higher differential between race wins and pole positions than Max Verstappen, who has claimed 25 and 14 respectively.
Verstappen will already be making his 150th GP appearance at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, looking for his sixth win of the season out of nine starts.
It would provide little solace to the 24-year-old but he has been in supreme form on the Saturday, claiming six poles out of eight this season, and could match his highest tally in a single season from 2019.
Pole position is not essential but it has proved to be convenient in recent years, with each of the past five winners in Montreal coming from the front of grid on the Saturday, the longest such streak in F1.
Since the opening race of the season in Bahrain, Ferrari remain one more one-two finish away from surpassing Mercedes for the most all-time in F1, with both on 82.
Ferrari customers facing similar strife
Problems have persisted for the factory team and Ferrari power unit customers since the first upgrade at the Miami Grand Prix, where Zhou Guanyu retired.
Both he and Leclerc then retired from the Spanish GP, after Valtteri Bottas was forced out of FP2 in the other Alfa Romeo due to an engine failure.
Both Mick Schumacher and Kevin Magnussen experienced MGU-K failures in Monaco, before Leclerc, Magnussen and Zhou had power unit-related DNFs in Baku.
Red Bull in control
After rectifying their own reliability issues at the start of the season, Red Bull have picked up the pieces and are now in control of both championships.
Red Bull drivers have finished on the podium in 11 of their 13 finished races, securing the one-two in three of the last five Grands Prix and are one more from securing the highest tally in a single season.
The last time the team had six wins in the opening eight races of the season was when Sebastian Vettel coasted his way to the driver's title in 2011.
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
Drivers
1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) 150
2. Sergio Perez (Red Bull) 129
3. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) 116
4. George Russell (Mercedes) 99
5. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) 83
Constructors
1. Red Bull 279
2. Ferrari 199
3. Mercedes 161
4. McLaren 65
5. Alpine 47
Real Madrid have agreed a deal for Monaco star Aurelien Tchouameni, who has reached terms on a six-year contract.
The Champions League holders will reportedly pay an €80million fee that could rise to €100m with add-ons for the France midfielder.
A short statement from Los Blancos read: "Real Madrid CF and AS Monaco have agreed on the transfer of the player Aurelien Tchouameni, who will be linked to the club for the next six seasons.
"Next Tuesday, June 14, at 12:00 at Real Madrid City, the presentation ceremony for Aurelien Tchouameni as a new Real Madrid player will take place after the corresponding medical examination."
Tchouameni emerged as one of the brightest young stars in European football last season.
He enjoyed a superb campaign as Monaco secured Champions League qualification with a third-placed finish in Ligue 1.
Tchouameni played 35 times for Monaco in Ligue 1, scoring three goals and providing two assists. He also found the net in the Coupe de France and Champions League.
The 22-year-old Tchouameni represents a threat at both ends of the pitch.
No Monaco player produced more successful passes in the opposition half than Tchouameni's 932, which put him seventh in Ligue 1.
He was fifth in Ligue 1 in tackles with 86 while his 260 duels won put him third in the division.
Tchouameni may have to wait for his opportunity to impact the Madrid midfield, which has a wealth of options.
Luka Modric, Casemiro and Toni Kroos occupied the midfield for Madrid's 1-0 win over Liverpool in the Champions League final.
Federico Valverde played in a more advanced role in that game but is experienced in the heart of midfield, an area from which Dani Ceballos and Eduardo Camavinga made valuable contributions to Madrid's LaLiga and Champions League double last season.
The competition for places will likely limit his minutes next season, but Tchouameni could hardly ask for better mentors after signing on as an heir apparent to Kroos and Modric.
Real Madrid have agreed a deal for Monaco star Aurelien Tchouameni, who has reached terms on a six-year contract.
The Champions League holders will reportedly pay an €80million fee that could rise to €100m with add-ons for the France midfielder.
A short statement from Los Blancos read: "Real Madrid CF and AS Monaco have agreed on the transfer of the player Aurelien Tchouameni, who will be linked to the club for the next six seasons.
"Next Tuesday, June 14, at 12:00 at Real Madrid City, the presentation ceremony for Aurelien Tchouameni as a new Real Madrid player will take place after the corresponding medical examination."
Tchouameni emerged as one of the brightest young stars in European football last season.
He enjoyed a superb campaign as Monaco secured Champions League qualification with a third-placed finish in Ligue 1.
Tchouameni played 35 times for Monaco in Ligue 1, scoring three goals and providing two assists. He also found the net in the Coupe de France and Champions League.
The 22-year-old Tchouameni represents a threat at both ends of the pitch.
No Monaco player produced more successful passes in the opposition half than Tchouameni's 932, which put him seventh in Ligue 1.
He was fifth in Ligue 1 in tackles with 86 while his 260 duels won put him third in the division.
Tchouameni may have to wait for his opportunity to impact the Madrid midfield, which has a wealth of options.
Luka Modric, Casemiro and Toni Kroos occupied the midfield for Madrid's 1-0 win over Liverpool in the Champions League final.
Federico Valverde played in a more advanced role in that game but is experienced in the heart of midfield, an area from which Dani Ceballos and Eduardo Camavinga made valuable contributions to Madrid's LaLiga and Champions League double last season.
The competition for places will likely limit his minutes next season, but Tchouameni could hardly ask for better mentors after signing on as an heir apparent to Kroos and Modric.
Eduardo Camavinga hopes to see French compatriot Aurelien Tchouameni join him at Real Madrid after his own impressive debut campaign in the Spanish capital.
Camavinga adapted very quickly after signing from Rennes at the beginning of the season, playing an important role in midfield as Los Blancos claimed LaLiga, the Supercopa de Espana and the Champions League.
Meanwhile, Tchouameni continues to be linked with a move away from Monaco, and Madrid are reportedly among the prime suitors.
In an interview with L'Equipe, Camavinga threw his weight behind a similar move from Ligue 1 to the Santiago Bernabeu for the 22-year-old.
"He's fun, that's for sure," Camavinga said. "He's a player I already know from the national team. I hope he comes to Madrid.
"I don't know exactly what the situation is, but I've already spoken to him. We'll see what happens in the next few days."
Despite a notable first season in Madrid, Camavinga has not appeared for France since October 2020, coming off the bench in their 2-1 win over Croatia in Zagreb.
Playing with Les Bleus in this international window while another rematch of the 2018 World Cup final beckons for the senior team in the Nations League, the 19-year-old admits he is still yet to fully comprehend his Champions League triumph.
However, he still harbours the ambition to be called upon by Didier Deschamps when the World Cup eventually comes in November.
"I'm still in a dream," he said. "I already had the opportunity to go to Cibeles to celebrate LaLiga and I came back for the Champions League. You experience huge emotions, but then you have to know how to make sense of things and get back to work.
"I had a few days to enjoy myself, but now I have to concentrate on the national team. Although I still have the Champions League on my mind.
"It's my club performances that will determine whether I'm selected or not. I'll go back to the club and try to play as much as possible. Then whatever happens will happen."
Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto admitted team strategy halted Charles Leclerc from triumphing at his home race, with Red Bull's Sergio Perez winning the Monaco Grand Prix.
Leclerc finished in fourth place after starting the race from pole position, which is critical at a circuit like Monte Carlo, with its tight streets making overtaking difficult and track position paramount.
Perez managed to keep Carlos Sainz in the other Ferrari at bay with an assured drive, but it was also borne of circumstance after a pit-stop mix-up before a second red flag tumbled Leclerc down the order.
Binotto conceded it was a team error that cost his drivers from claiming more points but specifically for Leclerc, a potential maiden Formula One win at a home race where he has been dealt constant bad luck.
"I fully understand the disappointment for Charles," the Ferrari boss told Sky Sports F1. "He was first and finishing fourth means that something was wrong in the decision we made.
"So clearly we need to review it and I think we underestimated the speed of the intermediate [tyres] at that stage, so we could have called a lap earlier for Charles or later on, maybe we should have left him outside on the extreme wet then going on the dry.
"These are mistakes that may happen, but more importantly it is a lesson to learn to try and understand why they happened and I am sure that is a process we will do."
Ferrari went down a further ten points in the constructor standings to Red Bull, who now lead by 36 points after both Perez and Max Verstappen finished on the podium.
Leclerc's fourth-placed finish also means Verstappen extended his lead atop the driver's standings to nine points, heading into the next grand prix in Azerbaijan.
Charles Leclerc is confident hs Ferrari can secure him a maiden win at his home race, after qualifying on pole position for the Monaco Grand Prix on Saturday.
On a circuit where track position is critical, Ferrari took the front row of the grid for Sunday's race with Carlos Sainz finishing in second behind Leclerc after Q3 was halted by a red flag.
Sergio Perez hit the barrier at Portier, and Sainz could not react quickly enough to avoid a collision, when Leclerc was on track to beat his then-provisional pole time.
Ultimately, it secured the Monegasque driver top spot, and he was in high spirits afterwards following his second consecutive pole.
"I am very pleased with our overall performance so far this weekend," Leclerc said. "I felt confident in the car and started pushing a bit more in Q3. The first lap was good. I think that the second was one of the best laps I have ever done in qualifying.
"It was so much fun to drive, and I was really on the limit. I had a lot of oversteer, so the rear was quite loose. Still, I knew that the lap was coming together nicely and that felt particularly good.
"It’s a shame that I couldn’t finish it, but this is Monaco, and we know that the final attempt is always at risk of yellow or red flags. We secured pole anyway, so I am really happy.
"Whatever the conditions are tomorrow, we will start from the best place possible and will do everything to finish the weekend as smoothly as it has gone so far."
Max Verstappen finished in fourth, continuing his fight to find pace at low-speed corners from the Thursday and Friday practice sessions.
The reigning world champion finished almost three tenths of a second off Leclerc's pole time and could have been further off the pace had his rival finished his second hot lap.
"In general, my pace this weekend has been a bit of a struggle, I never really found the perfect balance," Verstappen said. "We were on for a good final lap in Q3, I was pushing to the limit on the last lap until I got to the corner, where I hit a little traffic jam.
"It was very unfortunate as I think we could have done better than fourth – not pole position, because I think that Charles is too far ahead. I think we could have at least got second place"
France coach Didier Deschamps has backed Paul Pogba to find a new club and arrest his slump in domestic form, as he hailed the upcoming Aurelien Tchouameni.
Pogba endured another frustrating season with Manchester United, who finished sixth in the Premier League and will hope Erik ten Hag can transform their fortunes next campaign.
World Cup-winning midfielder Pogba is widely expected to depart Old Trafford when his contract expires in June, with Juventus seemingly in the running to bring the 29-year-old back to Turin, while Paris Saint-Germain have also been linked.
Pogba has come under scrutiny for failing to replicate his international performances for France, who he will not feature for in upcoming Nations League games due to injury.
Deschamps heaped praise on Pogba's efforts for his country and expects the France star to move on from United after another underwhelming campaign.
"Pogba has had a lot of injuries, with his club's results not up to par," Deschamps told a news conference on Saturday.
"He too will have to change scenery this summer."
Deschamps additionally spoke of players who may have struggled on club duty, saying: "There has to be credit for what they have been able to do with the France team."
Tchouameni has enjoyed another productive season in Ligue 1 with Monaco, leading to reports he could join Liverpool, Chelsea or Real Madrid in the next transfer window.
The midfielder appeared 35 times in Ligue 1 this campaign, with only Wissam Ben Yedder (37) and goalkeeper Alexander Nubel (38) featuring more for Philippe Clement's side.
The 22-year-old represents a threat at both ends of the pitch, leading Monaco's charts for successful opposition-half passes (932), while making the most tackles (86) and winning the most duels (260).
Tchouameni will compete with the likes of N'Golo Kante, Adrien Rabiot and Matteo Guendouzi for a spot in midfield, and Deschamps is delighted to see the Monaco man coming into contention.
"He doesn't have the experience of Pogba and Kante, but he has potential... I took him on quite early, and in his head, he has the necessary maturity," Deschamps said.
"It's good to have these young people who make sure the older players do not rest on their laurels! The young players continue to grow, and even the others who are not selected are also growing.
"It's the new generation. Today a 19-year-old, it can seem a bit presumptuous, they go to the big clubs, but they have no worries, they do everything to succeed."
As if the protracted transfer saga for Kylian Mbappe was not arduous enough, new transfer battle lines are being drawn for PSG and Real Madrid.
The need to rejuvenate Madrid's squad has been identified despite their LaLiga title win and progression to this season's Champions League final.
According to reports, however, they should prepare for not having everything their way again, with a new player in mind.
TOP STORY – PSG TO MAKE LATE PLAY FOR TCHOUAMENI
PSG are preparing to make a late bid for Monaco's Aurelien Tchouameni in an attempt to snatch him from Real Madrid , according to Goal.
The 22-year-old Monaco star is almost certain to leave the Principality this off-season, but his destination remains unclear.
Madrid have reportedly been in talks with Monaco over a prospective transfer for over a year, but have not yet completed the deal.
Kylian Mbappe was believed to have recommended Tchouameni when he was in talks over a move to the Santiago Bernabeu himself.
Now Mbappe has decided to stay in the French capital, it has accelerated the race to sign Tchouameni.
ROUND-UP
– Chelsea are considering a move for RB Leipzig's Christopher Nkunku, according to Goal.
– Arsenal target Tammy Abraham insists he is happy at Roma but would not rule out a move back to the Premier League, per Metro.
– In need of a striker, Tuttosport reports the Gunners are also monitoring Alvaro Morata's situation, with his loan deal at Juventus expiring this off-season.
– Tottenham are targeting Inter centre-back Alessandro Bastoni, with Manchester United also interested, according to the Gazzetta dello Sport.
Formula One has arrived at the most prestigious race on the calendar, and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc would be desperate to end an awful run of form at his home race.
Born and raised in Monaco, Leclerc's string of bad luck on the historic circuit dates back to his days in Formula Two, where he set the F2 lap record in 2017 before suspension problems caused a DNF.
The next year, in F1, he was in the points for Sauber before brake failure led to a crash with Brendan Hartley.
After poor strategy and Q1 elimination in his first Monaco Grand Prix for Ferrari in 2019, Leclerc charged up the field early on but pushed a little too hard and collided with Romain Grosjean at Rascasse.
In 2021, he surprisingly stuck an inferior Ferrari on pole position but crashed at the end of Q3, and extensive drive-shaft damage led to him cruelly retiring on the formation lap.
The 24-year-old became the first Monegasque to claim pole, but his three DNFs – from as many F1 entries – are his most at any circuit.
Despite ending up in the barriers on a demonstration lap in Niki Lauda's Ferrari last week, another pole could finally put Leclerc on the top step in his home race.
Twelve of the past 17 winners at Monaco have started from pole, as little room to overtake with bigger cars on Monte Carlo's notoriously tight streets makes track position critical.
It would be a welcome way for Leclerc to buck his trend of failing to convert poles into race victories, winning only four times from 13 starts at the front of the grid.
The title race adds another dimension, with Max Verstappen taking a six-point lead from him in the drivers' standings after successive victories at Imola, Miami and Barcelona.
In-form Red Bull with records in sight
Monaco has been a happy hunting ground for Red Bull, and this weekend could bring a number of records for the team.
This weekend could see Red Bull claim their highest number of race wins (six), pole positions (six), podiums (24, with both drivers) and points earned at a circuit, surpassing the 356 collected in Spain.
Meanwhile, reigning world champion Verstappen has the chance to record the longest winning streak of his career, beating last year's three wins between France and Austria.
Ricciardo in need of renaissance
Daniel Ricciardo has come under criticism from McLaren team principal Zak Brown for his recent performances, with a clear need for improvement.
The 32-year-old suffered one of the lowest points of his career last year in Monte Carlo, when he was lapped by teammate Lando Norris.
Ricciardo is suffering his worst streak of finishes outside the points (three) since 2012, when he had five consecutive empty-handed returns for Toro Rosso.
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
Drivers
1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) 110
2. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) 104
3. Sergio Perez (Red Bull) 85
4. George Russell (Mercedes) 74
5. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) 65
Constructors
1. Red Bull 195
2. Ferrari 169
3. Mercedes 120
4. McLaren 50
5. Alfa Romeo 39
Robert Kovac has been appointed as Wolfsburg's new head coach following a topsy-turvy season for the Bundesliga side.
Wolfsburg began the 2021-22 campaign with Marc van Bommel at the helm, but he was dismissed in October after a promising start tailed off dramatically.
Successor Florian Kohfeldt inspired a brief upturn in form, only for a nine-match winless run to see the team fall from the European places in November to a potential relegation battle in January.
Kohfeldt remained at the helm as Wolfsburg recovered to secure a mid-table finish, although he was sacked following the final-day draw with champions Bayern Munich.
Next, Wolfsburg have turned to Kovac, who was last in work at Monaco in Ligue 1.
He has signed a three-year contract and will aim to repeat the successes of his previous Bundesliga stints, winning the DFB-Pokal with Eintracht Frankfurt and both the league and cup at Bayern Munich.
"I am a child of the Bundesliga," Kovac said, "and the desire and motivation are very great to open another successful chapter with the Wolves."
Former Bayern coach Kovac, who also has experience with Croatia, left Monaco during Ligue 1's winter break at the start of this year.
The principality club subsequently enjoyed a stunning late-season run under Philippe Clement to finish third and enter next season's Champions League qualifying rounds.
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