Leeds blow as Corberan extends West Brom stay

Talks with Spaniard break down over length of deal Club turn their attention to Rayo Vallecano coach Iraola

The sought-after Spanish coach Carlos Corberan has signed a new long-term contract at West Bromwich Albion after talks broke down with Leeds United over the length of a potential deal.

Corberan committed his future to the Championship club by agreeing a 4½-year extension, less than four months after his appointment. He had been a major option for Leeds, who are now expected to turn to another Spanish coach, Andoni Iraola, 40, the Rayo Vallecano manager.

Iraola, a Basque who was a club legend as a player at Athletic Club

de Bilbao over 12 years and more than 500 games, is the next option for Leeds following the dismissal of Jesse Marsch on Monday. Leeds have also looked at Arne Slot, the Feyenoord manager, whose side are top of the Dutch Eredivisie.

Iraola’s Vallecano are fifth in La Liga, and outperforming their budget by some margin. He took the side to the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey last season and finished 12th in the league. That followed promotion the previous year.

As a player he was coached at Bilbao by Leeds’ former coach Marcelo Bielsa, who took the Yorkshire club back into the Premier League in 2020 after a 16-year absence.

Corberan, 39, has admirers for his previous work at Elland Road under Bielsa, when he coached the first team and the academy. In the past four months he has overseen a huge turnaround at West Brom, winning 10 out of the 12 league games he has been in charge of to take the club from the relegation zone into the play-off places.

He said: “I have enjoyed my time at Albion, and I am pleased to have secured a contract extension. I would like to thank my staff, the players, and our fantastic supporters for their help in making my time here so positive.

“I would also like to thank Ron Gourlay [West Brom chief executive] for continuing to show faith in

me as a coach. I believe that success can only be achieved when everyone works together, and the way I have been made to feel welcome at this great club has made me confident that this is the right place for me.

“It is important to me that we do not let this moment distract us from our target, which is to ensure we improve every day, making the team more and more competitive. My focus is always on earning a positive result in our next game and we are working hard to achieve that at Birmingham on Friday night.”