Valencia Nears Agreement with Javier Aguirre as Coach
The post-Corberan days at Valencia have been anything but quiet behind the scenes. While the club kept a low public profile, sporting director Braulio Vázquez has been working the phones, holding discreet talks with Javier Aguirre’s camp over the last few days.
According to MARCA, Friday brought the decisive step. Both sides sat down for what has been described as a pivotal conversation, with a shared will to close a deal and stop circling around the obvious outcome. Those close to other coaches sounded out by Vázquez have already accepted the reality: the Mexican is out in front to take charge of the Blanquinegros.
For the board, Aguirre ticks every box. At 67, he arrives with decades of touchline mileage, a strong personality, and a deep, almost instinctive feel for Spanish football. Valencia would be his seventh La Liga stop after spells with Osasuna, Atletico Madrid, Real Zaragoza, Espanyol, Leganes, and Mallorca.
Right now he is a free agent, having finished his stint with Mexico after the 2026 World Cup. That status removes one of the usual complications: there is no club to negotiate with, no release clause to untangle.
Money, this time, is not expected to be the sticking point. The framework is clear. Aguirre is pushing for a deal until the end of the current season, with an option to extend into the following campaign. That extra year will not be gifted. It hangs entirely on sporting targets, and the main one is brutally simple: keep Valencia in La Liga.
The hierarchy at Mestalla are not rushing to unveil him. Their first choice, Ernesto Valverde, declined the offer and chose to prolong his sabbatical, forcing the club to pivot. The timing now works in Aguirre’s favour.
For this weekend’s trip to Real Sociedad, interim coach Oscar Sanchez will lead the team from the dugout. Valencia will then lean on the upcoming three-week international break, a window the club view as crucial. The plan is straightforward: hand the new coach enough time at Paterna to run a mini pre-season, reset the squad, and hit the restart button on a season already flirting with danger.
