RCD Mallorca have confirmed the much-reported appointment of former Osasuna coach Jagoba Arrasate, after deciding not to renew Javier Aguirre's deal.
The Mexican manager has kept Mallorca in each of his three campaigns, taking them to the Copa del Rey final this year, but Los Bermellones have decided to move on from the veteran. In his place comes Arrasate, who leaves Osasuna after a successful six years in Pamplona, where he finished first in Segunda, before a run of 10, 11, 10, 7 and 11, as well as his own journey to the final of the Cup. last year.
#RCDMallorca they confirmed the appointment of Jagoba Arrasate as their new manager, replacing Javier Aguirre.pic.twitter.com/sbNaGY2PgY
— Football Spain (@footballespana_) June 10, 2024
Arrasate signed a three-year deal and was tasked with improving a side that invested in Vedat Muriqi, Cyle Larin and Sergi Darder in the last two summers. The Basque manager is now in his third La Liga job after starting at Real Sociedad. It will be his first job outside of Northern Spain, having also had a three-year spell at Numancia.
Speaking to the club's media, he made the following statements:
“I think that all coaches are about challenges and projects. It is something that we say many times, but it is not easy to find in professional football. And after this wonderful time at Osasuna, for which I am very grateful to all pamploni, today we have another challenge, another project, and I'm very excited because that's what a coach wants: to build something”.
“I think that Mallorca is an emerging club. The last years have shown it. And above all because it offers me confidence, a project. I think that when I had the opportunity to be with them, in the end what likes the 'coach is to feel wanted and they have transmitted that interest and also that project. The timing is very important because I think that the three years give me space to be able to build something from something that I have inherited, which is very good I will also deceive you, the family is very important to me and we also understand that the family will be fine in Mallorca.
“I feel a little liberated. It is not easy, first, to give that news. Then to live with that news and then make it official where you go. Once those times or that process occur, one feels liberated and eager to start . Completely flawless in preseason and planning, and when a coach dives into those things, he gets excited again.”
“The first is to value the work of recent years. In this case, also that of Javier Aguirre, since I believe that he will inherit a consolidated team with a few years already in the First Division. And what I want to contribute is a bit of my nuance and my way of seeing football. I don't think there will be a lack of enthusiasm. In previous years I was able to achieve this and the idea is to do the same in Mallorca . A team that is already consolidated and that is already a good team, to try to take it to higher places, knowing that it is difficult, but let's go with that hope.”
