Villarreal have appointed former Barcelona head coach Quique Setien as their new manager following Unai Emery’s departure to Premier League side Aston Villa.
Setien, 64, has signed a contract until the end of next season with the LaLiga club.
‘Villarreal CF have reached an agreement with Quique Setien for the Santander-born coach to take charge of the Yellows for the remainder of the current season and the entirety of the following one,’ the club said in a statement.
Setien, a former midfielder started his managerial career with his old club Racing Santander before stints at Las Palmas, Real Betis, and Barca, where he was sacked in 2020 after just seven months at the club.
Emery left Villarreal, who are seventh in LaLiga with 18 points from 11 games, on Monday after ‘unilaterally terminating his contract’, according to the club.
Aston Villa paid Villarreal the £5.3million clause to release Emery from his contract, and he is believed to have agreed on a three-year deal to succeed Steven Gerrard.
Setien’s first game in charge will be at home to Israeli side Hapoel Be’er-Sheva in the Europa Conference League on Thursday.