Ernesto Valverde has turned down an offer from Valencia Club de Fútbol to become their new head coach. The Basque manager is sticking to his decision to take a temporary break from management, meaning Óscar Sánchez will remain in interim charge at least until the upcoming international break.
New sporting director Braulio Vázquez contacted Valverde as his first choice for the role. The pair previously worked together at Mestalla during the 2012-13 season. However, Valverde informed him he will not coach any team this campaign. "He thanked the interest and proposal from the Valencian club, but remains firm in the decision he made months ago to step away from the dugout temporarily," a source close to the process explained. The former Athletic Club boss had already announced his departure from Bilbao, describing it as a meditated choice.
Current interim coach Óscar Sánchez will take charge of the team for the immediate fixtures. He will lead Valencia in their next La Liga match against Real Sociedad at Mestalla and also in the game against Alavés. The club held remote meetings on Monday to evaluate other options on the market. They believe a second candidate has a suitable profile for the team's current situation, which sees them bottom of the table with just one point from five games.
Valencia's intention is for the new coach to take over once the international break begins, which is expected to last around three weeks. The club sees this period as an opportunity for a 'mini pre-season' to introduce new work concepts and implement a footballing idea without immediate competitive pressure. They acknowledge that a change in the dugout will not instantly transform results. The immediate objective is to stop the negative dynamic, stabilise the team and build progressive sporting improvement. The Valencian side has conceded ten goals while scoring only one so far in the league.
The goal is to correct the team's course, recover competitiveness and lay foundations to reinforce a squad considered incomplete. Adjustments during the winter transfer market are likely. The squad faces these challenges with several key absences, including Sergi Canós, Jesús Copete and Mouctar Diakhaby, whose statuses are detailed in the injuries section. The next home match against 12th-placed Real Sociedad represents a first key test in this rebuilding process.
More detail at Marca - Primera
