Portuguese Silva, 39, becomes Hull's third head coach since winning promotion back to the top flight in May and took his first squad session alongside his coaching staff at the club's Cottingham training ground on Thursday lunchtime.

A club statement read: "The Tigers are pleased to confirm the appointment of Marco Silva as the club's new head coach.

"Silva, 39, has agreed a deal until the end of the current season with the Portuguese set to take charge of the team for the first time for Saturday's Emirates FA Cup third-round tie with Swansea at the KCOM Stadium.

"Silva will be joined at the club by assistant head coach Joao Pedro Sousa, first-team coach Goncalo Pedro and goalkeeping coach Hugo Oliveira."

Former Sporting Lisbon and Estoril coach Silva guided Olympiacos to the Greek title in his sole season in charge before leaving the club in the summer, citing personal reasons for his departure.

Tigers vice-chairman Ehab Allam said: "Marco is a young coach who has impressed us with his philosophy and football style.

"He has a great track record and we feel this is a bold and exciting appointment in our aim to retain the club's Premier League status.

"Marco will be bringing in his own back-room team who have all played their part in his recent success.

"We are already working hard with Marco and his team to deliver some key additions to our squad during this transfer window."

Ehab Allam said on Wednesday evening the departure of Phelan offered the club its best chance of avoiding an immediate return to the Sky Bet Championship.

Silva faces a tough task in his first job in English football, but appears to have the right credentials to make a fist of it.

He made only two top-flight appearances during his playing days as a defender and launched his coaching career at Estoril, where he won promotion to the Portuguese top flight in 2012.

Estoril finished fifth in their first season under Silva in the top division to qualify for the Europa League and were in fourth place the following campaign when he left to become coach at Sporting Lisbon.

He steered Sporting to a third-placed finish in the 2014/15 season and won the Portuguese Cup but was sacked four days later, reportedly for not wearing the club's official suit during a match in a previous round.

Silva must first win over the majority of Tigers fans, who were fully supportive of Phelan despite the club's poor showing this season and blame the club's owners for the Tigers' plight.

Former boss Steve Bruce quit Hull last summer after leading them back to the Premier League having grown increasingly frustrated at the lack of investment.

Phelan also expressed his frustration at the lack of incoming players, while injuries to key players also hindered Hull's progress.

Owner Assem Allam has presided over two promotions to the top flight and an FA Cup final appearance since rescuing the club from financial turmoil six years ago.

But the Egyptian-born businessman put the club up for sale in 2014 after the FA rejected his bid to change their name to Hull Tigers, a move which was vehemently opposed by the majority of Hull's supporters.

He has since come under increasing pressure from supporters, whose discontent with how the club was being run intensified following the departure of Bruce in July.

The Allam family announced they hoped to sell the club to a Chinese consortium in September but the deal broke down, while several other consortiums have been involved in takeover talks without anything being finalised.