Former Portugal national team manager Roberto Martínez has emerged as a candidate for the vacant managerial position at Valencia CF, as the club seeks to pull itself out of a disastrous start to the season.
According to Spanish reports, Martínez has been proposed to Valencia’s hierarchy, with newly appointed sporting director Braulio Vázquez evaluating a shortlist of managerial options prior to finalizing a decision.
Valencia sit rooted to the bottom of the La Liga table with just one point from five matches, scoring a solitary goal across 450 minutes of play while losing all three fixtures at the Mestalla—marking the worst season start in the club’s history.
The board parted ways with manager Carlos Corberán and chief executive Ron Gourlay, temporarily entrusting the team to reserve team coach Óscar Sánchez pending a permanent appointment.
Martínez vacated his role with Portugal following a Round of 16 exit to Spain at the 2026 World Cup, having previously led the national side to the UEFA Nations League title in 2025.
Should he take charge at the Mestalla, Martínez would return to club management for the first time since leaving Everton in 2016, following a decade-long spell in international football overseeing Belgium and Portugal.
The Spanish tactician began his managerial career at Swansea City before leading Wigan Athletic to a historic FA Cup triumph in 2013, prior to his spell at Everton and a third-place finish with Belgium at the 2018 World Cup.
Martínez is not the sole option under consideration at Valencia, with the shortlist also featuring Ernesto Valverde, Jagoba Arrasate, José Luis Mendilibar, and Vicente Moreno, alongside former club manager Rafa Benítez.
