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Strasbourg have officially announced the appointment of Hugo Oliveira as their new head coach, succeeding Gary O’Neil at the helm of the French club owned by BlueCo, the same consortium that controls Chelsea.

The 47-year-old Portuguese coach, who began his career as a goalkeeping specialist, made his first move into full-time management in 2024 with Famalicao. Under his guidance, the Portuguese side achieved an impressive fifth-place finish in Liga Portugal, earning Oliveira widespread praise for his tactical approach and leadership.

Although former Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy was reportedly considered for the position, BlueCo opted to bring in Oliveira, reportedly paying Famalicao a compensation fee of €2 million (£1.7 million) to secure his services.

Speaking to the club’s official website after signing, Oliveira said, “It’s an honour to be here in Strasbourg and to join such a wonderful project. I want to bring emotion, create memories, and give my all to help the club continue to grow.”

Oliveira’s primary objective will be to guide Strasbourg back into European competition after they narrowly missed qualification under O’Neil and were eliminated in the semi-finals of the UEFA Conference League last season.

Despite his limited experience as a head coach, Oliveira boasts an extensive background in football coaching. He began his career in 2002 working within USC Paredes’ academy system before moving to Benfica, where he played a crucial role in the development of world-class goalkeepers such as Jan Oblak and Ederson. His coaching résumé also includes stints with the Portuguese national team and Gil Vicente.

Oliveira is also well known for his long-standing collaboration with Marco Silva. The duo worked side by side for seven years, enjoying successful spells together at Hull City, Watford, Everton, and most recently, Fulham, where Oliveira departed in 2024.

Reports from Portugal indicated that Fulham had briefly considered appointing Oliveira as Silva’s successor earlier this year after the head coach moved to Benfica. However, the English club ultimately opted for former Real Madrid defender Alvaro Arbeloa to lead the team.

With his appointment, Hugo Oliveira now faces the challenge of elevating Strasbourg’s ambitions in Ligue 1 and re-establishing the team as a regular contender for European football.