The Hague, March 24 (IANS): Giovanni van Bronckhorst will succeed Fred Rutten as the head coach of Bundesliga side Feyenoord Rotterdam starting next season.

The 40-year-old Van Bronckhorst, currently assistant of Rutten, reached an agreement on a two-year contract on Monday, reports Xinhua.

Jean-Paul van Gastel will stay on as assistant coach and will sign a new three-year deal shortly. In the coming period, Feyenoord will look for an experienced assistant coach to further strengthen the technical staff next season.

Alongside Van Gastel, former Dutch international Van Bronckhorst was assistant to Ronald Koeman and Rutten over the past four seasons. He already played for Feyenoord in his youth before his breakthrough and also finished his playing career in Rotterdam in 2010.

"That I will now be head coach at the club where I once started and to which I returned after a long career fills me with pride and I am therefore extremely appreciative of the trust Feyenoord has put in me," Van Bronkhorst said.

"I have learned a lot from both Ronald Koeman and Fred Rutten as an assistant coach. A fantastic challenge now awaits me together with Jean-Paul and my staff and I'm really looking forward to it."

Technical director Martin van Geel expressed his satisfaction on the agreement.

"We are convinced that Giovanni is ready for this step after three years under Ronald Koeman and a year under Fred Rutten," he said.

"The good discussions we have had over the past period have only served to strengthen that feeling. We are delighted that Giovanni, as a real Feyenoord man, is taking on the challenge with us and of course also that Jean Paul is staying at the club."

As a player, Van Bronckhorst was also active for RKC Waalwijk, Glasgow Rangers, Arsenal and FC Barcelona.

He earned 106 international caps for the Dutch national team and his last match as professional player was the 2010 World Cup final, which the Netherlands lost 0-1 to Spain.