Nobody saw this one coming: Bayer Leverkusen has announced a major coaching surprise

The 42-year-old succeeds Dane Kasper Hjulmand, whose departure had been widely expected in recent weeks. Martínez moves to Leverkusen from French top-flight side FC Toulouse and becomes the second Spaniard to take the helm at the club, following in the footsteps of title-winning coach Xabi Alonso.

"We have given a great deal of thought to which manager is best suited to the next phase of development at Bayer 04," sporting director Simon Rolfes explained. "Carles Martínez has successfully developed numerous young players at Toulouse and moulded an internationally diverse squad into a strong unit."

He has signed a two-year contract. Last term he guided Toulouse to ninth place, and in 2023, as assistant manager, he helped the club lift the cup. "Carles is a manager with clear principles and a modern approach to the game," Rolfes added. "We are convinced that he can provide the right impetus for our sporting future." Martinez's contract in France had expired at the end of the season.

The appointment of the Spaniard concludes a weeks-long search for Bayer Leverkusen, triggered by indications that Hjulmand would depart during the current campaign. The 54-year-old had taken over from Erik ten Hag after matchday two and steadied the ship with a solid first half of the season; however, the second half faltered, and the club once again missed out on Champions League qualification.

Martinez's appointment comes as something of a surprise, as he had not previously been linked with the club. The 42-year-old remains something of an unknown quantity in Germany. Over the past three years, he has been working in Ligue 1 at FC Toulouse, his first role as head coach. 

Born in Barcelona, he previously guided Espanyol and Barça youth teams, including the Blaugrana's U16 side from 2018 to 2019. After stints in Qatar and Kuwait, he joined Toulouse as assistant manager at the end of 2022 and was promoted to the top job six months later.

Under his command, the club finished 11th, 10th and 9th over the past three campaigns.

Martinez's compatriot Andoni Iraola (43) was the preferred candidate. He is leaving AFC Bournemouth after three successful years. Liverpool FC's decision to sack Arne Slot at the weekend then pushed Iraola to the front of the queue. An agreement has now been reached, and the club are expected to announce his appointment within days.

With Iraola now favoured, Leverkusen's former Atletico defender Filipe Luis—already linked to the club—has instead joined AS Monaco. The move was also influenced by licensing issues: without a UEFA Pro Licence, Monaco would face a €25,000 fine per match to have Luis on the touchline.

Oliver Glasner, 51, who is leaving Crystal Palace, is said to have no interest in returning to the Bundesliga and is in talks with AC Milan. According to Sport Bild, former Real Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa offered his services to the "Colourful City" club but failed to convince the board. Meanwhile, Michel, 50, is set to move from FC Girona to Ajax Amsterdam.

This put Carro and Rolfes under pressure, as their plan had been to announce the new manager for the coming season before the end of the week.

Their quest to secure a new head coach for next season has been further complicated by the club's pursuit of highly rated 16-year-old talent Kennet Eichhorn from Hertha BSC, a player many suitors are chasing. According to kicker, Bayer still has "good chances" of landing the teenager, yet the prolonged coaching saga has held up an agreement. That uncertainty is a "deal-breaker": Eichhorn will not commit to a club whose future coach remains unknown.