Valencia’s search for a way out of the relegation places has brought Javier Aguirre back into the Spanish conversation less than three months after his third spell in charge of Mexico ended. The Mexican coach is close to a return to LaLiga, with the Mestalla club without a first-team manager following the dismissal of Carlos Corberán.
Aguirre, whose long career in Spain has made him a familiar figure well beyond his native country, is being considered to take over a side facing an urgent battle for survival. He is expected to bring Pol Lorente, the fitness coach who has worked alongside him in recent years, should the agreement be completed.
A familiar figure in Spain’s difficult jobs
The move would make Valencia the seventh Spanish club managed by Aguirre. His reputation in the country has largely been built on calm work in demanding circumstances, particularly at teams threatened by relegation, although his record also includes more ambitious periods.
With Osasuna, Aguirre led the club into European competition, while his time at Atlético de Madrid remains one of the most recognisable chapters of his Spanish career. Elsewhere, he has repeatedly been entrusted with clubs needing to remain in the top flight when their position appeared precarious.
Spanish journalist Nacho Sanches Falomir described Aguirre as a straightforward and highly respected presence in the game, suggesting that the coach may receive even greater recognition in Spain than he does in Mexico. He pointed to Aguirre’s status as the Mexican with the most managerial experience in Spanish football as evidence of his standing.
That esteem does not remove the question facing Valencia. Aguirre is often regarded as a manager brought in to contain a crisis, but the challenge at Mestalla would also concern whether he can shape a longer-term project. The proposed deal is understood to run to the end of the season, with objectives included in its terms.
For now, Valencia’s immediate concern is simpler: escape the bottom three. Aguirre’s possible arrival would place one of Mexican football’s most experienced travelling managers in one of Spain’s most pressured cities, where survival has become the first demand of the window.
