Paulo Sousa spent five difficult months at Queens Park Rangers

Two-times Champions League winner Paulo Sousa has been offered the Swansea City manager's job.

Sousa, 38, verbally accepted a three-year-deal on Thursday and is set to be unveiled next week.

The former Portugal international has been out of work since April after being sacked by Queens Park Rangers.

"He will provide Swansea City with a fantastic chance to continue developing and growing over the next few years," said chairman Huw Jenkins.

"He's young, bright, enthusiastic and a visionary with extensive knowledge and contacts not only throughout Europe, but world football.

Jenkins added: "Taking into account the development of the football club over the last two-and-a-half years and the image we have portrayed as a footballing side, myself and the board of directors felt it was vital to continue along the same lines.

"It was felt that Paulo Sousa is the right man to do this."

Sousa was a member of Portugal's golden generation alongside Luís Figo, Rui Costa, Nuno Gomez and Sergio Conceição and Jorge Costa and won 51 international caps.

The midfielder, who graduated through the Benfica academy, played for some of the biggest clubs in Europe including Sporting Lisbon, Juventus, Borussia Dortmund, Inter Milan and Parma.

606: DEBATE Well that was a surprise to be honest, didn't even know he was in the frame until yesterday Jägermeister Jack

He was in the Juventus team that beat Dutch giants Ajax on penalties in Rome in 1996 before moving to Germany and winning the trophy with Borussia Dortmund who beat his old club Juventus in Munich.

Sousa's coaching break came on the international stage as he took of Portugal's under-15 team before being appointed assistant to Portugal's first-team coach Carlos Queiroz in 2008.

Sousa's first managerial job was as boss of Championship rivals Queens Park Rangers but he was sacked after just 26 games in April as the club claimed he divulged sensitive information.

"As a club we feel strongly that we have created something completely different in the British game and become renowned as a quality football team with supporters who really appreciate the way we try and play the game," said Jenkins.

"We are committed to keeping this theme moving forward under the leadership and guidance of Paulo Sousa who, I'm pleased to say, has verbally accepted the job.''

Sousa will return home to Portugal to discuss the move with his family before signing his deal.

He beat off competition from former Tottenham assistant manager Gus Poyet, Sheffield United player coach Gary Speed and ex-Watford boss Aidy Boothroyd.

Swansea's first summer signing, striker Stephen Dobbie, is pleased with the appointment.

"His record speaks for itself player-wise... you can only learn from that," he said.

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