Former Manchester United, AC Milan and Lazio defender Jaap Stam will take over as Feyenoord coach next season, the Dutch club announced on Wednesday.

Stam, 46, who lifted the 1999 Champions League title in a three-year spell with United as well as winning 66 caps for the Netherlands during his playing days, will replace Giovanni van Bronckhorst at the De Kuip in Rotterdam.

After being fired by English Championship outfit Reading in March 2018 Stam was appointed boss of struggling Zwolle in December leading them to three wins in as many games to start his tenure and will remain in the position until the end of the campaign.

"After good, open talks with Martin van Geel about what's possible and what's not possible at Feyenoord, I quickly realised that I wanted to go completely for this opportunity," Stam said about Feyenoord's technical director van Geel.

"I am grateful to PEC Zwolle for the fact that they understand my ambitions and quickly reached agreement with Feyenoord," he added.

"I would like to emphasise that this decision does not detract from my motivation, in order to do everything possible for PEC Zwolle in the coming period," Stam told Zwolle's website.

The 15-time Dutch champions Feyenoord are sitting in third place in the Eredivisie table behind two of Stam's former clubs bitter rivels Ajax and leaders PSV Eindhoven.