Bayer Leverkusen have appointed former Germany international Heiko Herrlich as their new coach on a contract until 2019.
The 45-year-old joins from Jahn Regensburg with whom he won promotion to 2. Bundesliga last week.
"It's a fantastic opportunity to return to Bundesliga as a coach, and on top of that at the starting point of my career," Herrlich told the club's official website.
"Bayer 04 are up there with the most successful German clubs of the past 20 years, have an excellent reputation in Europe and are regarded as an innovative club.
"It's a great feeling to be back and have the responsibility for an extremely talented and ambitious squad. We want to achieve the best next season and return to the Bundesliga top group."
BREAKING: Heiko #Herrlich will be the new head coach for #Bayer04!
He used to play for us! Welcome back, Heiko!
More details soon... pic.twitter.com/0FJ6lkcjqM
- Bayer 04 Leverkusen (@bayer04_en) June 9, 2017
Following a disappointing midtable finish, Leverkusen parted ways with interim coach Tayfun Korkut last month. Korkut had taken over from Roger Schmidt, who was dismissed in March.
Leverkusen had been linked with former Borussia Dortmund coach Thomas Tuchel, new Dortmund coach Peter Bosz and Nice boss Lucien Favre among others, and earlier this week kicker said they might even offer Korkut a new contract.
But on Friday, Leverkusen appointed Herrlich, a Bayer player from 1989 through to 1993 and a 1997 Champions League winner with Borussia Dortmund.
Germany national team coach Joachim Low spoke highly of the appointment, saying: "Leverkusen have been looking for a new coach for a while. I think he could be a good fit."
The former Bundesliga top scorer has had one previous stint as a head coach in the German top flight, where he was sacked at Bochum in April 2010 after less than a season in charge of the club.
He has also worked as youth coach for Germany and Bayern Munich, and after returning to senior football at Jahn Regensburg in late 2015, Herrlich led the club to promotion to the second tier in the playoffs after beating 1860 Munich.