Maurizio Sarri has returned as Lazio head coach, just 15 months after he resigned from the club.

The 66-year-old has reportedly signed a two-year contract with the club, with the option to extend it for a third season.

Sarri's first spell at the club began in June 2021 and led the club to a second-place finish in 2022-23, their best finish since their 1999-2000 title-winning season.

However, he stepped down in March 2024 after a run of five defeats in six games. He has been out of work since.

"Maurizio Sarri has returned home. His return is a choice of heart, conviction and vision," Lazio president Claudio Lotito said in a news release.

"With him, we want to resume a path interrupted too soon, aware that together we can bring back enthusiasm, identity and ambition. Welcome back to your home, commander."

Sarri replaces Marco Baroni, who was in charge for a single season, leading Lazio to a seventh-place finish in Serie A and missing out on European qualification.

In his first spell, Sarri oversaw 137 matches in all competitions, winning 65 of those games (D30 L42). Lazio scored 204 goals in that time, conceding 159.

In Serie A, Sarri averaged 1.7 points per game (104 matches), the same as Baroni managed across his 38 league matches in charge.