Leverkusen flip to Martinez to switch Hjulmand

Bayer Leverkusen have appointed Carles Martínez as their new head coach.

The 42-year-old Spaniard has signed a two-year deal on the BayArena after agreeing to succeed Kasper Hjulmand, who stepped in early final season following the quick, disastrous reign of Erik ten Hag.

Martinez led Toulouse to a ninth-placed end in Ligue 1 final season and shall be tasked with rebuilding a Leverkusen facet that has but to get better from the departure of Bundesliga-winning coach Xabi Alonso 12 months in the past.

The membership’s managing director for sport Simon Rolfes stated: “We have now labored intensively on which coach is greatest suited to the following part of Bayer 04’s improvement. Carles Martínez has efficiently developed quite a few younger gamers at Toulouse and moulded a world group into a powerful unit. 

“Along with this worthwhile expertise, he brings a excessive degree of experience from his time on the Barcelona youth academy to Leverkusen. Carles is a coach with clear rules and a contemporary strategy to the sport. We’re satisfied he can present the correct impetus for our sporting future.”

Carro satisfied Martinez is the correct man to take Leverkusen ahead

Leverkusen CEO Fernando Carro added: “At Bayer 04, we have now developed strongly each domestically and in Europe over latest years. Our aim stays to be aggressive on the highest degree and to additional consolidate our place among the many main golf equipment in Europe. 

“We’re satisfied that Carles Martínez, together with his spectacular profile as a coach, suits in very effectively with this ambition. He embodies a contemporary kind of coach who can develop our extremely proficient group, increase it to a persistently excessive degree and lead it to tangible success.”

Hjulmand took over in September final yr after Ten Hag was dismissed two video games into the 2025/26 league season however didn’t encourage a much-changed squad from that with which Alonso had a lot success within the 2023/24 marketing campaign.

Leverkusen opted to dispense with the previous Denmark coach after Leverkusen may solely handle a sixth-placed end final season, lacking out on a Bundesliga spot.