Soccer-Dutch coach Van Bommel takes over at VfL Wolfsburg

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - UEFA Europa League - third qualifying round - Haugesund FK v PSV Eindhoven - Haugesund, Norway - August 8, 2019. PSV Eindhoven coach Mark van Bommel attends a news conference after the match. NTB Scanpix/Jan Kare Ness via REUTERS

BERLIN (Reuters) - Bundesliga club VfL Wolfsburg on Wednesday appointed former Dutch international Mark van Bommel as their new head coach.

The 44-year-old signed a two-year contract and is succeeding Oliver Glasner, who left to join Eintracht Frankfurt after leading the Wolves to a fourth place finish and a spot in the Champions League next season.

"Mark van Bommel was the solution we wished and we are convinced that together with his coaching team he can continue the successful path VfL Wolfsburg are on," club CEO Joerg Schmadtke said in a club statement.

Van Bommel is a household name among football fans in Germany, having spent five years at Bayern Munich as a player between 2006-11 and having also played for Barcelona and AC Milan.

"To be allowed to work as a coach in the Bundesliga where I played for a long time is a great honour and challenge that I will tackle with a lot of engagement," he said.

Van Bommel's last head coach position was at Dutch club PSV Eindhoven in 2019.

(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann; Editing by Christian Radnedge)