Villarreal CF have appointed Inigo Perez as their new head coach on a three-year contract following the departure of Marcelino Garcia Toral, the LaLiga club announced on Monday.
Perez, 38, has signed a deal that will keep him at Villarreal until June 2029 as the club prepares for a return to Champions League football next season.
“Villarreal CF have reached an agreement with Inigo Perez, who will be the first-team manager for the next three seasons, until June 2029,” the club said in a statement.
The appointment comes after Marcelino left the club following unsuccessful negotiations over a contract extension. Despite guiding Villarreal to a third-place finish in LaLiga and securing qualification for next season’s Champions League, the two parties were unable to agree on new terms.
Perez arrives with his reputation on the rise after a successful spell at Rayo Vallecano, where he spent two and a half seasons in charge. Under his leadership, the Madrid-based side finished eighth in LaLiga and enjoyed a memorable European campaign that ended with defeat to Crystal Palace in the UEFA Conference League final.
The move marks the second managerial role of Perez’s coaching career. A former midfielder for Athletic Bilbao, he began his transition into coaching at Rayo Vallecano after working as assistant to Andoni Iraola.
When Iraola left Spain to take charge of AFC Bournemouth in 2023, Perez was unable to follow due to administrative and bureaucratic complications. However, Rayo turned to him as head coach in February 2024, a decision that proved successful as he established himself as one of Spain’s most promising young managers.
Villarreal will now hope Perez can build on the club’s recent progress and help them compete both domestically and in Europe as they prepare for a demanding campaign that includes Champions League football.
