Former Toulouse coach Carles Martinez has officially taken over as manager of Bayer Leverkusen, with his term lasting until 2028.

Bayer Leverkusen announced on Thursday that Carles Martinez Novell has taken over as first-team manager, effective immediately, replacing Kasper Jürmann. The two sides signed a two-year contract, valid until June 30, 2028.

As for the reason for Jürmann's dismissal, it is widely attributed to the team's underperformance. Under Jürmann's management this season, Leverkusen ultimately finished sixth in the Bundesliga, missing out on Champions League qualification.

Before taking over at Bayer Leverkusen, Martinez had just stepped down as manager of Toulouse due to the expiration of his term. Since taking over from Philippe Montagnier in July 2023, he has accumulated a record of 42 wins, 30 draws and 46 losses in all competitions.

As a young manager at only 42 years old, Martinez's previous experience independently managing a first team was limited to Toulouse. He also worked in youth academy at Granollers, Espanyol, Barcelona, Raijan, and Kuwait, and was hired as an analyst and assistant coach at Toulouse in December 2022.

Regarding Martinez's arrival, Bayer Leverkusen CEO Fernando Caro explained: "In recent years, Bayer 04 has made great strides in both domestic and European competitions. Our goal remains to remain competitive at the highest level while further consolidating our position among Europe's top clubs."

“We have confidence in Carles Martinez, whose outstanding coaching record perfectly matches our ambitions. As a typical modern coach, he has the ability to develop our talented team, maintain its high level of performance, and lead the team to real success.”

Bayer Leverkusen sporting director Simon Rolfes said: "We have been conducting in-depth research to find the head coach who best fits the next stage of Leverkusen's development. Carles Martinez successfully nurtured many young players at Toulouse and transformed an international team into a strong whole. Moreover, he has brought the rich experience he gained at La Masia to Leverkusen."

“Carles is a coach with a clear philosophy and modern thinking,” Rolfes concluded. “We are confident that he can steer the club in the right direction on the competitive level.”

Image source: Internet/Bayer Leverkusen official website