Inter coach Mazzarri signs one-year contract extension

"We're very happy to have extended our coach's contract. With this extension we have made it clear that Mazzarri is a cornerstone of our project," Thohir said in a statement on the club's official website (www.inter.it).

"I'm confident with the hard work and dedication he has shown he'll achieve great things at this club."

Thohir, who took over from long-term owner Massimo Moratti in November, announced news of the contract extension on Monday, when he also revealed that Javier Zanetti would be the club's new vice-president after 19 years as an Inter player.

"I hope to be able to repay the faith shown in me (by Thohir) with my work on the pitch. I'll do everything in my power to get Inter back where the club belongs in Italy and Europe," Mazzarri said.

News of the extension is likely to be met with a mixed reception by Inter fans, who last season protested both Thohir's running of the club and the inconsistent performances on the field that led to them finishing a distant fifth in Serie A.