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Spanish football club giant, Valencia, has appointed the English championship team, West Bromwich Albion manager, Carlos Corberan, as its new head coach, ahead of the next half of the 2024-2025 league season.
Before sealing the agreement with the new manager, Valencia paid a release clause said to be between £3-4 million before the 41-year-old left Albion for Spain.
Corberan has signed a deal until the end of the 2026-27 season with the Spanish club which sacked its head coach, Ruben Baraja, a former player with the club.
The appointment of Corberan came two days after the club terminated Baraja’s contract following the team’s poor form resulting in two wins in 17 league matches this season.
To avoid relegation for the back-to-back UEFA Champions League runner, the management approached the young football tactician who was considered the best option considering his understanding of the league.
In a statement released on Wednesday, Albion said Corberan was leaving “with the club’s gratitude and best wishes”.
Coaches, Chris Brunt, Damia Abella, and Boaz Myhill, will take caretaker charge of the Baggies while they search for a new coach.
Following confirmation of his appointment by Valencia, Corberan said on social media that the decision to leave Albion had been “the hardest of my life”.
“There will always be a place in my heart for this special club and I hope one day I can return to thank you all for your incredible support,” he said.
Former Huddersfield Town boss, Corberan, was appointed by the Baggies in October 2022, leading them to a ninth-placed finish in his first season and fifth last term, as they lost to Southampton in the play-off semi-finals.
He has guided Albion to seventh place in the Championship table this season, just outside the play-off places on goals scored, despite claiming his playing budget had been reduced by 30%.
Corberan had been linked with the recent managerial vacancy at Premier League side Southampton, but Saints chose Ivan Juric to replace the sacked Russell Martin.
Valencia, Corberan’s hometown club, are four points from safety, sitting second-bottom of La Liga.
In Baraja’s final game as manager, they drew 2-2 with Alaves on Sunday to move off the bottom of the table on goal difference.
They face reigning champions Real Madrid in their next league game on 3 January.
