Valencia, officially appoints Aguirre as manager from 19th place…Aguirre's contract period until the end of this season
Valencia announced the appointment of 67-year-old manager Aguirre on September 23. The contract runs until the end of this season, with the club holding a one-season extension option. The team is in 19th place with 4 points from 7 matches.
Translated from Korean with AI assistance. Read the original. Sources and original publication dates are retained.
On September 23, 2026, Valencia CF posted an official announcement on its homepage. The new first-team manager is Mexican-born Javier Aguirre. Spanish public broadcaster RTVE also confirmed the appointment on the same day. He is the successor to dismissed Carlos Corberan, and this is Aguirre's seventh club in Spain.
Valencia 19th place·4 points…1 win 1 draw 5 losses in 7 matches
LaLiga official standingsshows that Valencia has 1 win 1 draw 5 losses in 7 matches with 4 points and 19th place(as of 22:00 on 2026.09.23, Korea time). The average points per match is 0.57. If this pace continues over 38 rounds, it would result in approximately 21.7 points. With 5 losses in 7 matches, the loss rate reaches 71%.
The relegation zone gap is tight. Just above in 18th place is Elche, 1 point away, and 16th place Racing Santander is 3 points away. One match result could change the standings. Last-place Malaga has 3 points and still has no first win.
| Rank | Team | Points | Matches·Record |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | Racing Santander | 7 | 7 matches·2 wins 1 draw 4 losses |
| 17 | Levante | 5 | 6 matches·1 win 2 draws 3 losses |
| 18 | Elche | 5 | 7 matches·1 win 2 draws 4 losses |
| 19 | Valencia | 4 | 7 matches·1 win 1 draw 5 losses |
| 20 | Malaga | 3 | 7 matches·0 wins 3 draws 4 losses |
Aguirre's contract period, official terms are 'season end + 1-year option'
Valencia club official announcementstates the contract period is until the end of this season. The club has an option to extend for an additional season. Spanish media Estadio Deportivo also reported the same content. Salary and total contract amount were not disclosed.
Four days before the announcement, on September 20, ASreported slightly different conditions. The contract expiration date June 30, 2027was set at, and said that if the team qualifies for the Europa League by league performance, it would automatically extend for 1 year. The club announcement does not include this condition. As the original contract has not been made public, the automatic extension clause is still only confirmed through AS reporting.
| Item | Valencia official announcement (9.23) | AS report (9.20) |
|---|---|---|
| Basic period | Until the end of this season | Until June 30, 2027 |
| Extension method | Club's 1-season extension option | 1-year automatic extension upon Europa League qualification through league |
| Confirmation status | Club official announcement | Club not disclosed·not cross-confirmed |
Aguirre's seventh Spanish club…Lee Kang-in coaching·press conference September 28
Aguirre started his LaLiga managerial career at Osasuna in 2002. Valencia is his seventh Spanish club. In the Copa del Rey, he led Osasuna (2005) and Mallorca (2024) to the final twice, finishing as runner-up both times.
| Order | Team | Period |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Osasuna | 2002~2006 |
| 2 | Atletico Madrid | 2006~2009 |
| 3 | Zaragoza | 2010~2011 |
| 4 | Espanyol | 2012~2014 |
| 5 | Leganes | 2019~2020 |
| 6 | Mallorca | 2022~2024 |
| 7 | Valencia | 2026~ |
He is familiar to Korean fans from his Mallorca days. Sports Illustrated Méxicoreported that Aguirre coached Lee Kang-in at Mallorca. Lee Kang-in recorded 6 goals and 7 assists in LaLiga under Aguirre's system in the 2022-23 season, marking a career high.
His previous position was with the Mexico national team. Aguirre took charge of the national team from 2024, winning the 2025 Gold Cup and the 2024-25 Nations League. In the 2026 World Cup, he reached the Round of 16.
The inauguration press conference will be held five days after the announcement. The club September 28 announced that a press conference will be held at the Mestalla press conference hall. The specific time has not yet been disclosed.
The automatic extension upon Europa League qualification is still at the AS reporting stage. The relevant sentence in the club's announcement reads as follows: "The club holds an option to extend the contract for an additional season (el Club dispondrá de una opción para prolongar su contrato por una adicional)."
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Until when is Aguirre's contract period?
According to Valencia's official announcement, it is until the end of this season, and the club has an option to extend for an additional season. AS reported the expiration date as June 30, 2027 and automatic 1-year extension upon Europa League qualification, but the club did not disclose this condition.
Q. When will Aguirre's inauguration press conference be held?
It is scheduled to be held at the Mestalla press conference hall on September 28, 2026. Specific time and agenda have not yet been disclosed.
Q. What connection do manager Aguirre and Lee Kang-in have?
Aguirre coached Lee Kang-in during his time as Mallorca manager. Lee Kang-in recorded a career high with 6 goals and 7 assists in LaLiga under Aguirre's system in the 2022-23 season, and currently plays for Atletico Madrid.
Related official websites
- Valencia CF official website — Check the original manager appointment announcement and press conference notice
- LaLiga official standings — Check the latest standings for Valencia and relegation zone teams
- RCD Mallorca official website — News of the club where Aguirre coached Lee Kang-in
Featured image · Stock photo · Not a current match photo in the article · Photo = Wikimedia Commons (Juancamartos), CC BY-SA 4.0
Related resources worth checking
· "Waited 5 years"…Zidane appointed France manager, 3.6 million euro salary 4-year contract
We Sports Editor · Profile·Read more articles