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By Amaechi Agbo

2012 Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON champions, Zambia have named former Chelsea manager, Avram Grant as new Coach ahead of the 2025 AFCON qualifiers.

The former Portsmouth and West Ham boss signed a two-year deal with an option to extend.

The former Ghana national team coach said his choice of Zambia was “for the right challenge” and expressed optimism of “doing a good job” with the team.

‘I was looking for the right challenge and that’s why I chose Zambia,’ Grant, 67, said at a press conference in Lusaka on Thursday.

“I came here because of the challenge and I hope when I leave here I will look around and say we did a good job and made a good foundation for the future.

‘I think Zambia has the potential, we have set the targets of what we want to achieve.’

Grant’s time in England was most notable for leading Chelsea to the 2008 Champions League final, which they lost on penalties to Manchester United.

The Israeli also steered Portsmouth to the 2010 FA Cup final, which they lost 1-0 to Chelsea.

But he was in charge of Portsmouth and West Ham when they were both relegated from the Premier League.

Grant later led Ghana to the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations final and a penalty shoot-out defeat to the Ivory Coast.

Zambia failed to qualify for the African knockout stages of 2022 World Cup qualification and parted company with Croatian coach Aljosa Asanovic in October.

Grant’s first games will be 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers in March.

The Chipolopolo are currently second in the AFCON Group H qualifying race with 3 points from two matches. They will face Lesotho on March 20 and 28 next year.