Valencia announced on Monday that Ruben Baraja had been sacked as manager, with Los Che giving some meaning to the words languishing at the bottom of the table. It looks as if it will be a pricey operation though.
According to Relevo, Baraja will be paid out the €5m stipulated in his contract in order to sack ‘Pipo’. He had said that he would not be a problem for the club if they wanted him to go, but it appears they did not ask him to go.
The favourite to take over is West Bromwich Albion coach Carlos Corberan. Valencia have reached an agreement with Corberan, and West Brom are demanding the full €2.4m to release him from his contract – meaning the total operation will be around €7.4m for Los Che.
Comunicado oficial | @RubenBaraja
🔗 https://t.co/SEFW8mj87k
Gràcies, Pipo! pic.twitter.com/TCtyWp5um3
— Valencia CF (@valenciacf) December 23, 2024
For a side that has not spent much in recent years, it is not an insignificant amount. It could also affect their January business. The intention is to bring in Ivan Fresneda on loan from Sporting CP, and also another forward.
Baraja had been campaigning to bring in Rafa Mir from Sevilla since the first summer that he was there, but that loan move has not worked out, as much due to off-pitch reasons as anything else. The new manager faces a tough task, with Hugo Duro, Luis Rioja and Mir the only players in their squad who has hit double figures in La Liga previously.
