Villas-Boas signs two-year contract as Zenit manager

Former Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur coach Andre Villas-Boas will take over Russian side Zenit St Petersburg this week after agreeing on a two-season contract, the club said on Tuesday.

Villas-Boas takes over after Zenit sacked coach Luciano Spalletti earlier this month and appointed caretaker Sergey Semak, who will be in charge on Wednesday in their Champions League return leg at Borussia Dortmund for a spot in the quarter-finals.

"Zenit has agreed terms on a contract with new head coach Andre Villas-Boas," the club said in a brief statement. "The contract will be signed and Mr Villas-Boas will be presented in St Petersburg as Zenit's new head coach on March 20."

"Mr Villas-Boas's contract begins in March, 2014, and is valid for two seasons."

The 36-year-old Portuguese was sacked by Tottenham in December last year.

The Russians, who managed just one win in the competition this season, including the group stage, lost the first leg 4-2 at home. 

Image: Andre Villas-Boas

Photographs: Alex Livesey/Getty Images