Deportivo Alavés Appoints Quique Sánchez Flores as New Coach Following Coudet's Departure

Spanish club Deportivo Alavés announced the mutual termination of their contract with coach Eduardo Coudet. He has been swiftly replaced by Quique Sánchez Flores, who has signed a 2.5-year contract, which will see him lead the team until 2028. The new manager is set to take charge of the team in their upcoming La Liga match against Valencia next Sunday.

This development comes after Coudet spent 18 months at the helm of Deportivo Alavés, overseeing 55 official matches. Attention has now turned to his potential move to manage Argentina's River Plate, succeeding Marcelo Gallardo, who departed last week. Reports from Cadena Cope indicated that the two clubs had reached a final agreement regarding the coach's services, despite initial financial disparities, with the Spanish club initially requesting €2 million against an initial offer of around €800,000 from the Argentine side.

Amidst reports linking him to a departure, Eduardo Coudet stated, “I swear on my children's lives that I have not spoken to anyone from River Plate,” in an attempt to deny negotiations before his official exit was announced. Quique Sánchez Flores begins his tenure at a critical juncture, with the team currently occupying 16th place in the Spanish league standings, just three points above the relegation zone.

The new coach brings extensive experience from European football, having previously managed major clubs such as Valencia, Atlético Madrid, Getafe, Espanyol, and Sevilla in Spain, in addition to international stints with Benfica in Portugal and Watford in England.