LONDON (REUTERS) - Newcastle have appointed former Sheffield Wednesday boss Steve Bruce as their new manager on an initial three-year contract, the Premier League club said on Wednesday (July 17).

Former Sunderland and Aston Villa head coach Bruce, 58, replaces Spaniard Rafa Benitez, who left St James' Park for China at the end of his contract last month after failing to agree an extension with club owner Mike Ashley.

"I'm delighted and incredibly proud to be appointed as head coach of Newcastle," he told the club's website. "This is my boyhood club and it was my dad's club, so this is a very special moment for me and my family.

"There is a huge challenge ahead of us, but it's one that my staff and I are ready for. We'll roll our sleeves up and we'll be giving it everything from the off to ensure supporters have a successful team that they can be proud of."

Bruce, who will be joined by assistants Steve Agnew and Stephen Clemence, led the Owls to 12th in the second-tier Championship last season after being appointed in January.

Former Liverpool and Real Madrid manager Benitez, who was unveiled as the coach of Chinese Super League club Dalian Yifang earlier this month, led Newcastle to 13th in the Premier League last term.

The 59-year-old, who won the Champions League with the Reds in 2005, joined the Magpies in March 2016 but failed to save them from relegation from the English top flight.

However, he remained in charge and immediately led them back up, before stabilising the club with a 10th-placed finish in 2018.