Villarreal said Monday they reached a deal to hire coach Iñigo Pérez, who led fellow Spanish club Rayo Vallecano to the final of the UEFA Conference League this season.
Pérez is set to sign a three-year contract with Villarreal, who finished third in the Spanish league and will play in the Champions League for a second straight season.
Villarreal were eliminated in the league phase of the Champions League last season, their first in the top European club competition since they reached the semifinals in 2021-22.
It will be the first time Villarreal play back-to-back seasons in the Champions League.
The 38-year-old Pérez, a former midfielder who retired in 2022, will replace Marcelino, who announced late last season that he would not stay in charge of the team.
Pérez's Rayo lost 1-0 to Crystal Palace in the final of the third-tier Conference League.
Pérez was an assistant at Rayo and took over the main job in 2024 after not being able to accompany then-coach Andoni Iraola when he moved to AFC Bournemouth in England because of work permit issues.
The new Villarreal coach will be officially introduced on Tuesday.
