Gary Neville has been named as Valencia’s head coach until the end of the season.
The Former Manchester United and England defender, who will take charge officially on Sunday, is currently part of the England coaching set-up and he will retain those duties.
Peter Lim, Valencia’s Singaporean owner, has a stake in Salford City, the non-league club co-owned by Neville.
His brother Phil, who joined the Spanish club as assistant manager in July and is currently acting as caretaker coach, will stay on the coaching staff.
“I am absolutely thrilled to be given this opportunity with Valencia,” he said. “Valencia are a huge football club of immense standing and I know from my time as a player the passion and dedication of the Valencia fans. I am really looking forward to working with the club’s talented group of players and am excited about the challenge ahead.”
The 40-year-old’s appointment at Valencia was welcomed by England’s manager Roy Hodgson.
“I’m delighted that Gary has decided to take this excellent opportunity. It’s the right moment in time for him and I’m 100% behind his decision to join Valencia as the new head coach,” he said.
“As far as I’m concerned, this will be an extra string to his bow and the experience he will gain working in the Spanish league can only be beneficial to our work together with the England team. Gary’s commitment to the FA’s preparations for Euro 2016 will not be in any way affected by the fact that he will be coaching abroad during the next five months.”
Neville has agreed to take over at Valencia until the end of the current season.
Valencia said in a statement: “CF have today appointed Gary Neville as head coach until the end the season. He will officially take charge of the first team on Sunday 6 December ahead of the Uefa Champions League match against Lyon at Mestalla on Wednesday 9 December.”
The new man in charge will attend a news conference with club president Layhoon Chaan on Thursday and will take charge of the team for the first time for next week’s Champions League tie against Lyon.
Neville has been working as a pundit for Sky Sports since 2011, and although he will now be relinquishing that role, the channel said “the door will always be open should he wish to return”.
He replaces Nuno Espirito Santo, who resigned after Sunday’s 1-0 defeat at Sevilla, which left Valencia ninth in the Spanish league. The club, fourth last season, have won only five of their opening 13 league matches this term.
