Rayo Vallecano’s President, Raul Martin Presa, has officially announced that manager Inigo Perez will depart the club at the end of the current season. Perez’s contract is set to expire, following a tenure that saw Rayo achieve a historic first European final in the Conference League and two consecutive 8th-place finishes in the league.
Perez appeared visibly emotional after his team’s 1-0 defeat to Crystal Palace in Leipzig, a match that is expected to be his last in charge. He had previously avoided discussing his future, stating it was “not the right moment.” However, reports from Diario AS later indicated that Perez would not be extending his stay.
Speaking to Marca, President Presa confirmed Perez’s departure after two and a half years at the helm in Vallecas. “I’m not sure who will coach the team next year,” Presa stated after the final match. “He’s a great coach and a good person, but I would have liked him to stay for life, and I told him so. I wanted a project similar to Simeoneโs at Atletico Madrid, but the club and the badge come before everyone and decisions have to be made.”
Prior to the final, Sporting Director David Cobeno had commented that while they hadn’t actively sought a replacement, retaining Perez would be “difficult.”
Villarreal Poised to Appoint Perez as New Manager
Multiple sources have recently suggested that Perez is set to take over at Villarreal this summer. An agreement, though not yet formally signed, is believed to have been in place for several weeks or even months. If no unexpected developments occur, Perez will manage at Villarreal next season, marking a significant step up to a club that consistently competes in European competitions and potentially the Champions League in only his fourth year as a manager.
