Former AEK midfielder Temur Ketsbaia has returned to the Athens club as their new coach, the Greek Super League team announced on Monday.

The 48-year-old Georgian native has signed a two-year contract for an undisclosed fee.

Ketsbaia played for AEK from 1994 to 1997 scoring 39 goals in 119 matches and helping the team to win the Greek Cup in 1996 and 1997.

"I've spent some very nice moments with this team. We played the best football. We had quality players, foreigners and Greeks. When you start coaching you want to work in this kind of group. I know the team environment, I know what people want, I know how passionate people are," Ketsbaia said.

Ketsbaia also won 49 caps for Georgia, scoring 16 goals in his international career while he played club football at Dinamo Tbilisi, Anorthosis of Cyprus, Newcastle United and Wolverhampton Wanderers in England and Dundee in Scotland.

Since hanging up his boots Ketsbaia has coached Anorthosis, Olympiakos, the Georgian national team and APOEL.

AEK last week held marathon talks with French coach Philippe Montanier but the two sides could not come to an agreement.

Last month AEK was a surprise 2-1 winner over Greek champions Olympiakos in the Greek Cup final and finished third in the domestic league this season. They will play in the Europa League third qualifying round.