Perez to continue as Real president

Spanish BBVA Primera Liga club Valencia confirmed former Valladolid coach Miroslav Djukic as their new first team coach on Tuesday ahead of his official presentation on Wednesday.

Djukic, a former Valencia player, announced he was leaving Valladolid at the end of last week after two seasons during which he took the club to promotion to the BBVA Primera Liga in his first year in charge, which guiding them to a comfortable finish just below mid-table in the campaign which has just finished.

The 47-year-old Djukic's side played open flowing football, which will be welcome among the demanding Valencia fans.

He replaces Ernesto Valverde, who announced after Saturday's 4-2 defeat away to Sevilla that he would not be extending his stay at the club. Valverde arrived in late November to replace the sacked Mauricio Pellegrino with the club battling to climb away from close to the relegation zone and leaves after taking the club to a fifth place finish.

However, finishing fifth leaves Valencia without Champions League football next season and with the club in massive debt, Djukic, who has agreed a two season deal at the club, may now see several key players depart over the summer as the club seeks to raise much needed funds.

Meanwhile Valencia also have a new club president with Amadeo Salva taking over the reigns after former president, Manuel Llorente, who has worked hard to lower the club's debts over from 550 million euros to 350 million euros over the past four years, stepped down on Monday.

Tuesday also saw Real Madrid's Florentino Perez begin his fourth term in office after nobody presented themselves as an opposition candidate to oppose him. Perez had changed the rules at the club for anyone wishing to be president last September, imposing conditions that not only did candidates need to have been club members for at least 20 years, but that they also needed to present a bank guarantee for 75 million euros (around 100 million dollars).

Unsurprisingly nobody was able to meet these conditions and the construction magnate was returned with a walkover.

Elsewhere Osasuna have confirmed that Jose Luis Mendilibar will continue as first team coach for the coming season after once again steering the Pamplona based club to Primera Liga survival.

Real Madrid B-team winger Juanfran has confirmed that he has signed for Betis. The 24-year-old, who was the captain of Madrid-B, who play in the Spanish Second Division, admitted that he had agreed his move several months ago.

Betis are also on the verge of completing the signing of Numancia winger, Cedric Mabwati, who this season made 37 appearances for the second division club.

Finally Atletico Madrid have sealed the signing of Rayo Vallecano striker Leo Baptistao. Baptista, who has progressed through the ranks of the Rayo youth system and had a fantastic first full season in the Primera Liga, joins Atletico for a fee of around 10 million US dollars.

The 20-year-old Brazilian scored seven goals in 28 appearances before missing the end of the season with a shoulder injury and his arrival should help alleviate the departure of Radamel Falcao, who has joined French side Monaco.