Carlos Corberan: Valencia closing in on West Bromwich Albion boss

Steve Hermon, BBC Radio WM

Carlos Corberan has been increasingly linked with several jobs of late, which is indicative of a busy agent, but perhaps also his own desire for pastures new.

Valencia have been a major side in European football, winning La Liga and the Uefa Cup as recently as 2004, but the features of this job may come more off the pitch.

The Spaniard grew up in the village of Cheste, just over 20 miles from Valencia’s Mestalla stadium.

His parents still live in the region, he has a Spanish wife, Claudia (whom he actually met in Leeds, where she worked as an interpreter), and they have two young children together, boys Dario and Marcos.

Despite being a workaholic who lives and breathes football, Corberan is also a proud family man. Perhaps a move closer to loved ones would help with that.

He is also an ambitious coach. He will have been stung by his 11-game spell at Greek top-flight side Olympiakos, which ended shortly before he arrived at The Hawthorns, so this is his first real opportunity to work at elite level.

Like all Spanish clubs, Valencia are on a winter break, but his first game will be a home game against Real Madrid on January 3. A day later, Albion travel to Swansea for a 12:30 kick-off, so you can understand the draw.