Valencia appoint Javier Aguirre as head coach until the end of the season
Valencia have hired former Mexico coach Javier Aguirre on a one-year deal to replace the sacked Carlos Corberán, tasking the 67-year-old survival specialist with lifting a side sitting next-to-last in LaLiga on four points from seven matches.
Published 23 Sept 20262 min read
Aguirre takes over at Mestalla
Valencia have appointed Javier Aguirre as head coach on a one-year deal, completing an early-season reconstruction of the club's soccer operations after a dismal start to the LaLiga campaign. The 67-year-old Mexican arrives with the team next-to-last in the table on four points from seven matches, and his contract runs until the end of the season.
Aguirre has just finished a third spell in charge of Mexico, leading his national team to the last 16 of the World Cup before losing to England. He knows LaLiga well: he has previously coached six Spanish clubs, including Atletico Madrid, and most recently took charge of Mallorca between 2022 and 2024.
The rebuilding continues
Aguirre replaces Carlos Corberán, who was fired on September 14 after Valencia lost four of their first five games. The club also removed soccer chief executive Ron Gourlay at the same time and have since appointed Braulio Vázquez as the new sporting director — meaning Aguirre is the third piece of the new structure to fall into place in a little over a week.
The appointment is a statement about the rest of the season. A one-year deal for a coach nicknamed El Vasco, whose CV is built on mid-season rescue jobs rather than long projects, signals that Valencia's priority is survival, not rebuilding. His task list is blunt: steady a defence that has leaked goals, restore a home edge at Mestalla, and close the gap to safety before the fixture list turns against them.
What it means for the squad
For the players, the immediate question is how quickly the new coach settles on a first-choice eleven. Expect lineup changes from his first match in charge, with rotation likely as Aguirre assesses a squad that has already underperformed for two managers this season. The international break gives him a full training window before LaLiga resumes — time he will need, with Valencia already cast as early relegation favourites.
OneLightScore will follow Valencia's team news, lineups and injury updates through every matchday of the LaLiga season.