Uruguayan manager Martin Lasarte has been officially appointed the new head coach of Cairo giants Al Ahly, the club have announced on Sunday.

His appointment was announced this afternoon after a meeting with club president Mahmoud El-Khatib, which saw him sign a one-and-a-half-year deal.

The 57-year-old will succeed Patrice Carteron, who was sacked after Al Ahly’s CAF Champions League final loss and their elimination from the Arab Club Championship.

Lasarte will take charge of the team after the Reds’ clash with Jimma Aba Jifar in the CAF Champions League, meaning that his first game will be against El-Dakhelya on December 26.

Lasarte is one of the most successful Uruguayan managers, and has vast experience, having been in the footballing managerial career since 1996.

His first managerial stint came at the age of 35 with Rampla Juniors, leading them to the second place in the Primera División Clausura, before taking over Rentistas, Atlético Bella Vista, and Emirati side Al Wasl in 2002.

After less than a year in UAE, he returned back to his home country to coach then-second division side River Plate, helping them win promotion and the Uruguayan Segunda División.

His first big job came when he was appointed as the manager of Uruguayan giants Club Nacional, winning back-to-back domestic league titles in 2004 and 2005, however, the club didn’t renew his contract and he was forced to leave.

Short stints at Colombian side Millonarios and Danubio FC of Uruguay were not successful, but he then took a big jump and managed Spanish side Real Sociedad.

In his first season, he helped the club return to the top flight after an absence of three years and won the 2010 Segunda División.

Despite a bright start to the 2010-2011 La Liga campaign, the club struggled at the end of the season and had to wait until the last matchday to be safe from relegation, which was achieved.

Lasarte was relieved of his duties and went to manage Chilean sides CD Universidad Católica and Club Universidad, winning the Apertura in 2014, and the 2015 Copa Chile and Supercopa with the latter.

He returned back to Club Nacional in June 2016 and helped them win the league title, before leaving the club in December 2017.

Martín Lasarte has been without a job since then, and he is now set to become Al Ahly’s newest managerial appointment and the first-ever South American to coach the Red Devils.