Gourlay faces Easter Monday deadline to appoint Valencia sporting director | OneFootball

Valencia’s CEO of Football Ron Gourlay has set Easter Monday, six April, as the deadline to appoint a sporting director. The hire is meant to complete his second phase and lighten Carlos Corberán’s workload.

According to Superdeporte, the brief remains contentious under Peter Lim, with predecessors departing amid interference or tight finances. Corberán has covered recruitment work before, during and after the last two windows.

Gourlay and Corberán want a profile the club lacks, fluent in Spanish, across the domestic market and able to negotiate. These tasks have not been covered by Gourlay, general director Javier Solís or the November arrivals Lisandro Isei, Hans Gillhaus and Andrés Zamora.

The new structure aimed to address transfer market needs, yet since January the focus has been a Spain-focused director. On five February the plan was to hire within 30-60 days, winter having been judged the wrong moment, with the club in transition.

Since November Isei has targeted low-cost international talent, landing Justin de Haas with Gillhaus, and Aliou Dieng. Corberán approved de Haas, who joins in July, but rejected Dieng’s free transfer.

In winter he prioritised LaLiga experience with Umar Sadiq, Guido Rodríguez and Unai Núñez, who have lifted performances, unlike some July and August arrivals such as Arnaut Danjuma.

Planning is urgent as April nears, with nine players lacking secured deals and several positions to upgrade. There is approval to send an offer to Rodríguez, and Valencia still needs that figure so Corberán can focus fully on coaching.

Source: Superdeporte