Gaizka Garitano to be unveiled as new Deportivo manager

Deportivo’s studied process to find a replacement for Víctor Sánchez del Amo has come to an end after two weeks of interviews. The final cut for the vacant post at Riazor had been whittled down to four candidates: Sergio González, Luis César and Gaizka Garitano, with Rubén Baraja as a potential fourth choice. After much deliberation, club president Tino Fernández and his board have settled on former Valladolid and Eibar coach Garitano.

The club is expected to make an official announcement in the coming hours, with Garitano to sign an initial one-year deal. Garitano emerged last week as the leading candidate after talks with Rayo Vallecano’s Paco Jémez failed to prosper.

Garitano is best known for his work at Eibar, who he took from Segunda B to Primera during his time in charge. He left at the end of the 2014-15 season after Eibar’s relegation to Segunda, which was eventually overturned when Elche suffered administrative relegation from the top flight. Last season he was in charge briefly at Valladolid, the club taking the decision to sack him after nine games with the team in the relegation zone.

Garitano becomes the fourth coach to serve under Fernández at Depor, following Fernando Vázquez, Víctor Fernández and Víctor Sánchez del Amo.